Black Pawns
by RavineWreyn
Summary: In a world of political games and deceive, a Queen may fall and yet resurrected. Journeying into the past, Queen Elsa of Arendelle may soon find that life is no fairy tale. [Sequel to White Queen]
1. A Family She Must Protect

**Well hello there, my fellow readers, and welcome back to my 'Chess' series. This third installment will follow closely to the 'Frozen II' movie so be aware that it will serve as a major spoiler to those who had not seen the movie yet. Other than that, happy reading everyone!**

_"I am replaceable and you are not."_

_"You are not replaceable for me!"_

\- Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, the Young Victoria (2009)

* * *

_"-and a powerful mist covered the forest, blocking everyone out."_

Head perking up at the familiar verse she had heard years ago, her eyebrow rose when eyes met with a pair of turquoise ones, though the Princess of Arendelle had merely turned her attention back at the boy sitting on her lap who had been listening intently at her tale. She had not heard of this tale in so long, if she had to be honest the night she and Anna had heard it from their father was the only night she had ever heard of it. When the two girls had to go their separate ways during their childhood and half of their adulthood, she had refused to be told of the tale before her bedtime anymore, for it was not as fun and fascinating without the expressive sister by her side.

"Next!" Wilhelm's eyes were wide with wonder as he looked up at his aunt, voicing his demand for the continuing of the story as he patted both his palms against her thighs impatiently. "Next, next!"

Anna blinked, as both she and the Queen knew that was the end of it, there was nothing else to tell. "Well," scratching the back of her head, the Princess chewed on the bottom of her lip as Wilhelm waited. "The mist still stands, to this day, and no one can get in or out."

The ending did not seem to satisfy the young Prince, whose lips began to purse in annoyance, and that prompted the Queen to get up from her seat across the room, leaving the book she had been reading as she lifted her son up and held him against her hip. "And now, it's time for bed."

The deepening of his frown was expected, as Wilhelm had been a tad more difficult when it comes to bedtime, but the pulling away from her was what she did not expect, for he usually loved to cling to her even during tantrums. His body had turned instead toward the strawberry blonde-haired Princess, both hands reaching out. "Auntie Anna!" his feet kicked against her, a form of force for her to hand him back to the much-preferred royal sister.

"Fine, Auntie Anna will take you to bed then."

"Don't be jealous, Elsa." The Princess teased as she got up with the young boy in her arms, which had only prompted her to roll her eyes in annoyance. Her own son choosing to be with his aunt instead of her would always pose as a slight irritation in her way no matter how many times this had occurred before. "As soon as milk-time comes, someone will _definitely _come back into your arms."

Crossing her arms over her chest, she let out a huff of breath as she watched Wilhelm's arms clinging around Anna's neck. "Just get him straight to bed, Anna, it's late."

As soon as the two had left -after a goodnight's kiss from both parents to the young Prince, she could feel Hans coming to stand behind her even before his arms come around her waist, his breath warm against the crook of her neck and sent a shiver down her spine. "That tale Anna told," he began as he rested his head on her bare shoulder. "I've never heard of it before."

"The Enchanted Forest." Leaning back against him, she let her own body to relax in his embrace. "My Father told us about it, once."

"Was it real? The people, the spirits, the mist?"

Nodding her head, she separated herself from him, taking his hand in hers as she tugged him along into the halls, telling him of the tale once more as they both made their way to retire back into their bedchamber. "Many good people of Arendelle was lost in that battle, including my grandfather King Runeard." Moonlight shone through the tall windows as they walked toward the door they were heading. "That night, my Father came home as King of Arendelle."

"It is fortunate that your father was able to return."

Once again she had nodded her head as both climbed into bed with Hans pulling the covers over them after she had settled in his embrace. "Someone had saved him and brought him out and into safety." Whoever that person was, she was forever thankful for them and their kindness, for never once did the person ever reveal themselves as the King's rescuer.

His fingers combed through her loose hair, running smoothly through the strands before his palm came to rest against her back. "But we are safe now."

_"-the forest could wake again. And we must be prepared for whatever danger it may bring."_

Her Father's word echoed in her mind, bringing a lump in her throat that she had to shallow heavily as she buried her face against her husband's chest. The forest, the magical spirits… all may be too much for her kingdom and her family, for _her_. She was tired of the dangers that had come their way into her life, endangering not only her but her family, she had a responsibility to protect them, to shield them with the powers she was born with.

"I sure hope we will always be."

* * *

"Mama!"

Turning around at the excited squeal that came behind her, a wide smile had graced onto her face the moment her eyes laid on the sight of Wilhelm stumbling into the room -as he had been learning how to walk properly on his own lately, kneeling down as her arms opened to greet him, catching the energetic boy when he let himself fall into her embrace.

"Have you been having fun with your Papa, my dear Prince?" she cooed, as she scrunched her nose and brushed the tip against his, making him giggled delightfully. He had been spending time with Hans after breakfast, as she had another meeting to attend to, though she had made a promise that he would spend the rest of the day with her after that when Wilhelm had whined in protest. "Did he take you to see Sitron?"

"Yes!"

"Prince Wilhelm is such a good boy, Your Majesty." Servants _loved _the young boy the same way that they had loved the two royal sisters when they were young, often expressed their joy of having pitter-patter of a pair of small feet through the halls once again. "You remind me of your mother, you look so much like her."

Smiling at the Governess that had been standing and watching the two mother and son, adjusted Wilhelm to better sit comfortably against her hip as she stood. "Thank you, Gerda."

"Perhaps," one of her ladies-in-waiting, Ida, had started. "Wilhelm may have a younger sibling someday?" she was immediately bombarded with elbow nudges and low yet sharp hiss of her name from the others, as they feared she may have offended the Queen, who stood silently without word after the suggestion was voiced.

She had never really thought of having another child. The thought had passed through her mind and briefly in her conversation with Hans, but never truly being considered. She could remember just how hard she and him had tried for a child before having Wilhelm, two years to be exact, and even after that her pregnancy had been nothing but uneventful. Many things had occurred, some were even dangerous for them and their son, she had almost lost her life in labor too. To have gone through another pregnancy, one that they would have to gamble on what would happened then, made her never truly urge herself to have another child, at least not now.

Wilhelm was their sole focus for now, both wanted nothing but the best for the boy, to give him as much love and care that they were lacking during their own childhood, to see him grow to be a good Prince that Arendelle -and even the world, deserved.

But the thought of having Wilhelm to be able to grow up and play with a younger sibling -the way she and Anna had no matter how brief it was, was warming too. She remembered how happy she had been when her parents had told her that she would be an older sister even when she did not quite understand what that was, how excited she had been when she had peeked into the crib to see her newborn sister.

"Forgive me for being so foolish in my words, Your Majesty."

"It's alright, Ida." Giving her a reassuring smile, as the poor woman had looked so frightened after realizing her bold words toward the Queen. "I-"

"Pretty!"

Thoughts of her having another child was completely forgotten when Wilhelm had squealed excitedly, and this time it was not for the golden crown sitting on top of her head that he often tried to reach and grab onto, instead his eyes were locked toward the lilac dress on display, one she and the ladies had been overseeing before he had made his appearance.

"You like it?" she brought him close until curious hand could touch the neckline that connected with the off-shoulder sleeves. "Mama will wear this tomorrow at the festival." The harvest festival had been held each year in Arendelle, where the people would gather in town to share food and joy and laughter as the autumn breeze blew. It would be Wilhelm's second festival, though she doubted he remembered much of the first one considering his young age. "Do you think Mama will look pretty in that?"

Auburn head bobbling excitedly, the young Prince had pressed both of his palms against her face, and she soon realized that he must have mirrored the gesture after seeing Hans cupped his hands against her face countless times, though he had no grasp of how gentle he was supposed to do it and had pushed against her cheeks a little too hard until her lips pursed rather forcefully. "Mama pretty!"

Chuckling at her son's innocence and his attics, she leaned forward until she could press a lingering kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, my dearest Prince."


	2. Beneath the Autumn Sky

**This one turned out to be rather long. Oh well... Merry Christmas, my darling readers!**

**And you are right, Guest, Wilhelm is not two years old just yet, he's 20 months old, if my calculation in my timeline note is correct. So congratulations on guessing that!**

Clear blue sky welcomed her in the morning.

Topped with a lingering kiss at the nape of her neck just as she was beginning to stir out of the dream she was having, her husband's arms wrapping her tightly in his warm embrace, she had let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction as she murmured her morning greetings that had only prompted the auburn-haired Prince to nuzzle his face deeper into the locks of her platinum blonde hair.

"We should get up."

"We certainly should."

Yet both of their words had come in a lazy murmur, half-hearted as husband and wife did not wish to leave the comfort of their warm bed and each other's company just yet, eyes still heavy with sleep and limbs unwilling to move and start the day. but she willed herself to turn around while remaining in his embrace until her eyes could meet his, hand coming up to cup his face as her thumb ran across his jaw. She had always loved his eyes, so enchantingly green that they reminded her of the forest that surrounded her kingdom, so sharp and calculating, his eyes had been the first thing that she had noticed of him when they had met face to face with each other for the very first time, all of those years ago.

Wilhelm's eyes were blue, like hers, clear and wide, mirroring the clear sky. Curious and full of wonders as he learned of the world each day, Hans had told her that Wilhelm's eyes were kind, just like hers -no matter how she denied that hers were what he described them to be, compassionate.

A part of her wished that she could have a child with Hans' eyes, beautiful emerald reflecting the dancing flames in dimly lit room. The thought had brought back the brief exchange that she had with one of her ladies-in-waiting, of the possibility that she may have a child again, a younger sibling for her son.

"Hans," her voice had picked up in the matter of volume when she spoke of his name, and he had regarded her with another quiet hum as a form to show her that he was listening and waiting for her to continue. "I was wondering-"

There was a sudden stop in her sentence when the knock on the door was heard, prompting the both of them to turn their attention toward it as they propped themselves up. "Your Majesty, Your Highness, are you awake?"

"Yes, we are, in a minute!" Pushing herself to get up from the bed, bare feet touching the wooden flooring, she would have made her way to unlock the door if only her wrist had not been caught by the Prince's strong grip, stopping her.

"Elsa," he was sitting on the bed when she turned around to see him, to question his intention in not letting her go. "What is it that you were asking me?"

But at this point her courage and curiosity had faded back into the back of her mind, the idea had felt rather silly to be discussed at this time, and so she had shaken her head as she released herself from his hold, giving him a small smile.

"Nothing, do not worry over it."

* * *

Autumn felt so peaceful for her.

She loved the smell of the salty breeze blowing through the fjord that brought the season's crisp air, seeing the beautiful sight of the changing leaves that painted Arendelle in such warm colors, of the weather that had started to get chilly and yet not enough to make people bundle up, of the lovely smell of _kransekake_ wafting everywhere -even reaching the Queen who stood at the high balcony of the castle.

The day had brought her into remembering all of the blessings that she was graced with, of the happiness that she found and the family she loved more than anything, of the people that cherished her, of the solid ground she could set her foot on. Arendelle had always been a kingdom of a plenty that stood for the good of the many, her parents had always told her that it was for her to protect and defended, forever and always, as long as she was alive and breathing. The walls had to remain standing tall, the flags flying against the wind, the waters lapping against the rocks had held the castle up.

A smile graced over her face as she let out a small relieved breath.

"Elsa."

Ice shot through her fingertips as her shoulders tensed, spreading over the wooden rail that she had rested her hands on while she leaned forward to enjoy the beautiful sky. She had not heard of the footsteps that approached and had jumped in shock then, magical powers unleashing themselves at her moment of vulnerability.

Feeling her fingers getting stuck in the ice, her attempt of pulling them free had seemed to be futile as she looked over her shoulder at her husband -who stood by the doorway and appeared to barely able to contain his laughter, holding their much expressive son who had laughed joyfully at the sight of his mother's magic. "Hans!"

"They're ready, darling." His lips quivered as he could not hide the amused smile, eyeing his wife curiously as he waited for her. They were supposed to welcome the visiting dignitaries of the nearby kingdoms, to speak of trades and their relations before they were to enjoy the festival, thus why she had been waiting up in the castle instead of joining Anna and Olaf on their picnic in town. "Do you require any help?"

"No, no, I can do it." Tugging again, as she was as headstrong as she may be to free herself, she took a deep breath and gave one last hard tug, successfully breaking her hands free of the ice that shattered from her force, barely stumbling backwards as she turned and cleared her throat as if nothing had happened, offering to take Wilhelm for her to hold instead, which the auburn-haired Prince gladly passed to. "Shall we?"

They had barely taken two steps back into the castle when her ears picked up on a call, loud and clear from behind her, making her turned back around. "Do you hear that?" Her brows furrowed, as of course there was no one there, but she was sure she had heard of something.

"Hear what?"

Wilhelm had too, looked ahead the same direction as she, eyes wide and curious, and she took another moment -staying silent, in case that voice had called again. But there was nothing. She must have imagined it, passing wind blowing against her ears that made her _thought _that she had heard something, a certain call, and her son had merely admired the sky.

Turning back to her husband, who had a look of confusion across his face, she had shrugged and gave him a shake of her head. "Never mind." She was merely imagining things, nothing else, and today's agenda would surely help her in distracting herself and busied her mind.

Hans had opened his mouth, perhaps to try and acquire further information on what she was referring to no matter how she had dismissed of it herself, but his eyes had glanced downward and his hand had moved just in time in catching Wilhelm's hand -which unknowingly had taken ahold of his mother's necklace, halfway before he could put the jewelry into his mouth. "Wilhelm, that's not food."

Laughing, as she watched her husband trying to pry off their son's fingers from the chain while the young boy had frowned and whined, she could do nothing but press a loving kiss against Wilhelm's temples. She had taken it upon herself not to wear too much jewelries considering her son's nature of grabbing things -earrings were an absolute no as he had once pulled against her ear hard enough that she had stumbled when she had been holding him while talking with her Council, and would have not worn the necklace if only she had not felt like something missing without it. Even her wedding ring, that had never left her finger unless completely necessary, had taken her son's interest, though he had turned his attention away from it once he found it to be so much harder to get.

"You really are your aunt's nephew, aren't you, my curious little Prince?"

* * *

Anna's laughter was clear even from here.

Having being done with the political business for the day, she had walked back out to stand at the balcony. Hans had taken Wilhelm down to the town earlier, after the boy had practically protested against their attempts to soothe him, had grown bored of the interaction between the adults and wanted nothing but to actually enjoy the fresh air outside instead of being cooped up inside. It was why she had nodded and have her husband to go ahead, it would be best for her to finish things up herself than having the both of them and a toddler throwing a tantrum in the middle of it.

The Princess could be seen in the middle of town, fingers interlacing with those of the ice harvester. At this point, too much words had spread of the relationship between the royalty and the commoner that trying to keep it a secret and continuously denying it had become rather fruitless. People whispered and gossip, of course, but most had been rather kind and even smile sincerely, liking the change from the strict laws where a royalty was not even supposed to interact so closely with their subjects. The Council had bombarded her with the topic of discussion, she was not even surprised, expressing of their rather displeased opinion about it, which she had argued back to be Anna's choice and that she would not ruin her sister's happiness over ancient laws.

The wind was restless, she could feel the difference against her skin, and she was brought back into thinking if something was coming her way. The air felt different, her heart felt something was off, and yet she didn't want anything to change. She wanted to stay like this, happy and peaceful, surrounded by her loved ones, see them filled with joy and laughter.

This day was so precious for her, to have the lines of royals and subjects blurring until both could become one, and she could not let it slip away through her fingers. She wanted for it to stay like this forever, but she couldn't freeze time, couldn't freeze the moment that will continuously moved with the changing days, but there was one thing that she could do.

Instead of standing around and merely watch from afar, she could go out there and seize the day with her loved ones.

Her family welcomed her once she had come down and join them in town. Anna had practically half-run toward her, big grin plastered on her face, just as she came to look for them. Hans and Kristoff helped with lifting the heavy tables while Wilhelm played with the town's children and Olaf, giggling gleefully as for once he had friends around his age, with Sven keeping an eye on them.

The lovely smell of food surrounded them the moment people came to place them on the long tables, various kind of cooking made from the harvest that the kingdom had, fresh ingredients topping it all.

And even after the festival had ended, the royal family had stayed behind to help cleaning up after, despite the protests from the people that they should not trouble themselves like so, but none of them had been reluctant in the activity anyway, none felt like they should not dirty their hands. Anna had even lost her heels -after complaining that they had only held her back from moving more practically. And she wanted to teach Wilhelm to be humble, and not to distant himself just because he was born as a royal.

At the end of the day, each of them was exhausted but filled to the brim with happiness and warmth in their hearts. Hans carried the half-asleep Wilhelm in his arms, while Anna had tugged her older sister into a tight hug just outside of the gates, and had stayed behind to wait for Kristoff while the Queen went ahead.

"I would say that went rather smoothly." Hans' free hand had been offered up for her to take, letting their fingers interlacing with each other as they walked toward the castle's doors. "Wilhelm is taking the crowd rather well compared to last year."

Last year, when the boy had not yet reached the age of one, the presence of a large crowd coming around him -to coo and to admire the young Prince, had frightened him so much that he had cried so loudly and even she was unable to stop him until she had to retire back to the castle halfway through the festival to soothe him, and had not been able to return back because he did not want to go and she could not leave him alone.

"He's learning." There were still moments where the young Prince had appeared to be close to tears, though one of them had successfully saved the situation by taking him somewhere less crowded until he had calmed back down and willing to join in the fun once more. "He's a smart boy, like his Father."

"Don't you mean like his Mother?" raising their joined hands, he had twirled her around as they walked, and she could not help the roll of her eyes at his direction, ready to argue with him when he had suddenly pulled her close, giving her a sweet kiss on the lips.

"No!" the sudden protest had both of them pulling away from each other, and the Prince that they had once thought to be asleep was glaring at his father with a deep frown on his face before his hand went to hit his shoulder. "No kissing Mama!" his jealousy, which she had found to be rather adorable, had quickly changed into a round of crying that prompted her to step forward and take him away from the bewildered Admiral. "Mama!"

"Alright, alright, Papa is not allowed to kiss Mama, alright." He must have been exhausted, sleepy and in need to nurse, that it had driven him to be fussy. Patting his back as she picked up her pace, she could feel the wetness of tears and slobber against her bare shoulders, though she had not minded much of it. "Only Wilhelm can kiss Mama, I promise."

"I could not believe my son stole my wife from me."


	3. Secret Siren

**Goddamn it was hard to describe 'Into the Unknown' without any actual singing and beautiful masterpiece that is it's visual. I kept watching the clip repeatedly, second per second, to be able to find a way to write it. Hope you guys still found it somewhat magical.**

"Lion!"

"Grizzly bear!"

"Monster?"

No matter how many guesses had been shouted back and forth, none had seemed to match with what the Princess had been meaning to gesture, as she kept on shaking her head while she used her whole body to describe what was written on the paper she had chosen wordlessly. She was impatient, she could tell from the way her face was pulled, but the boys were still unable to find the correct answer.

And it was not she didn't try to guess, she just did not have such wide imagination to even understand the smallest bit of what Anna was gesturing. Instead she had her attention in toying with her son's hair as he sat on her lap, minding his own games of stuffed animals. His hair had grown quite thickly, that part of him might have come from her -who has an equally thick mass of platinum blonde hair, and while he would look handsome in any sort of way, a small trim would have been nice.

"Hans!"

Head perking up, and so did everyone else's, even Anna had stopped when Olaf had shouted for the man's name, frowning as she lowered her hands. The bell rung, a signal from Sven that they had ran out of time, and at such a good timing too. "Wait, what? No, Olaf, it was villain."

The man himself, who had sat at the end of the lounge as she leaned her weight against him, had only has his brows furrowing deeper after the reveal of the answer. "How can that be me? I don't _growl_ like that, do I?"

By this time Wilhelm had pushed himself up to stand on her thighs before he stumbled his way toward his father, who had moved to take over him as he helped him in keeping steady on both feet. "Papa, grrr!" little fingers coming to each of the corner of his mouth, the boy had pulled against his father's face, forcing Hans to show the row of his teeth. "Grrr!"

"Oh fine, maybe a little." Hans chuckled, prying his son's hands out of his mouth, holding them together by the wrists. It was no secret that he would often read stories before bed for the boy, and he absolutely loved it when he used animated voices to mimic the conversation, made the stories far more interesting and engaging. One of Wilhelm's favorite, it seemed, was the growling sounds he used to mimic bears or other beasts.

"Okay, Olaf, you're up."

The snowman had rose from the floor -as he and Kristoff were designated to sit there since there was not much room on the lounge for them all, taking a piece of paper from the small basket that Sven had in his mouth, reading what was written on it. "Lightning round. Boys against girls."

And the round was truly just like what Olaf had said, lightning fast. Kristoff had answered each of what Olaf had given him with such breeze as the snowman continuously rearranged himself into shapes that was so easy to guess -there was even her at the middle of it all with her braid on her left shoulder and Hans had laughed at that.

"I don't think Olaf should get to rearrange." Anna huffed, arms crossed over her chest as she glared at the celebrating blonde man disapprovingly, irritated that she had lost the round due to the snowman's unique advantage, shutting his laughter in an instant. Though she had nudged for the Queen to stand up, as it was her turn next, crackling her knuckles. "It doesn't matter, this is going to be a cinch. Two sisters, one mind."

She tried. She really did. But she was not as expressive as her sister, not as fluent when it comes to gesturing certain things, no matter how familiar she was with the subject. Waving her hands around as if she was to create magical things -without actually _made _anything for it would be cheating, she had even lifted one of her legs to mimic the pose of ice-skating, looking at her younger sister expectantly, but none of her guesses had been near to what she was gesturing.

"You got to give me something."

That voice. It was calling for her again. The same voice that she had heard before, on the balcony, that vocalization that brought her heart into feeling as if she was being _pulled _into something. Turning around to face the window, her eyes had searched for the source of the voice, her sister's voice drowning behind her.

"What is it, Wilhelm?" She could hear the confusion in her husband's voice behind her, along with their son's babbles that must have been the reason why he had voiced his question. "What did you see on the window?"

"Oh, come on! You definitely look disturbed!" Anna called out, just before the reindeer had rung the bell, groaning at the clear defeat that she was facing.

"We won."

"Rematch?" Getting up, the Princess had made her way toward the older sister, touching her arm and prompting her to turn around. Her eyes caught the sight of her son, arms reaching out though not necessarily at her, leaning forward as if he wanted to go somewhere.

Had he… heard it too?

"You know what? I think I will turn in." Walking past the younger sister, she had headed for her son, lifting him up into her arms, eyes meeting her husband's that reflected his silent question at her, though she had merely shaken her head. She was fine… she hoped.

"Are you okay?" Anna's voice was thickly laced with worry, and she could see from the corner of her eyes how her shoulders had slumped at the loss of her charade teammate.

"Just… just tired." Giving a small laugh as her poor attempt of reassuring her younger sister, and everyone else in the room, she had adjusted Wilhelm's position as she opened the door. "And Wilhelm needs his sleep." Along with that, the boy had thankfully let out a yawn as he received a kiss from his mother. "Goodnight."

Bringing her son to his nursery, she had beginning to pull her nightgown off one of her shoulders, as even with the baby food that she had given him during the day Wilhelm was still very much required to nurse from her -especially when he had just woken up and before bed, finding the comfort of being held close to her chest as he suckled.

"Did you hear it too? The voice?" She had stood by the window, rocking him gently as she wrapped the two of them with her Mother's scarf. She found a certain comfort in wearing it around her shoulders, especially during times where her mind was troubled, to feel that motherly embrace even at the form of a mere fabric. Wide blue eyes stared back up at her as the little boy listened, and she had only continued in gently patting her hand against his back. "It feels like it's… calling for us, isn't it?"

Suppressing a wince, as she had definitely felt her son's newly growing teeth grazing against her sensitive flesh, the corners of her lips had tugged into a small loving smile as she brushed away the hair that had fallen onto his face.

_"Where the north wind, meets the sea." _His eyes fluttered, as lips started to loosen, clenched fist relaxing against the fair skin of her breast. _"There's a river full of memories."_

Pulling her nightgown back into place, she adjusted her hold as she turned away from the window, making her way toward the bed. Usually Wilhelm would sleep in his cot, as she was still rather worried if he would have rolled off in his sleep during the night, but she had the servants putting in a bed inside too, just so at times like this where she did not plan on leaving her son, she had an actual place to sleep too.

_"Sleep, my darling, safe and sound." _Another yawn, just as she laid him down in the middle with her joining at the side, she tugged the blanket over him after placing a pillow at the other side, her arm securely around his body as she leaned down until she could place a kiss on his forehead. _"For in this river all is found."_

* * *

It was well past midnight when she was rudely awoken.

The voice was faint at first, like whispers that was close to her ears, but it was enough to prompt her rolling from her side and to lie on her back, her brows knitting as the dream she was having started to blur away. The second time, it was louder, and with the whine coming from her side her eyes had shot opened. Glancing down, she had Wilhelm still asleep, though he was clearly in discomfort as his brows furrowed and his fists clenched up, lips quivering as he came close to tears from the disruption that apparently only the both of them could hear.

Shushing the boy as she gently covered his ears with both her hands, her eyes had traveled further to find that Hans must have joined them when she was already asleep, as he was huddled close on the smaller bed than theirs on the other side. He must have waited for her to return to their bedchamber, but upon not having her back, had come to find her instead.

Carefully moving his arm to go over Wilhelm so that he could hold him in his sleep, she secured the toddler in his father's embrace before she took another attempt at sleeping. Shutting her eyes, she did not even get to have her body relaxing when the voice had called once more, followed with another of Wilhelm's whines.

And it annoyed her beyond measure.

Sitting up, she had glanced over at the two sleeping figures before she made her way off the bed and toward the door. Turning the knob, she had made her exit outside into the halls, closing the door as quietly as she could. "I can hear you." She was not speaking to anyone in particular, as the voice did not even have a solid form, but she just had the need to speak up. "Stop bothering my son."

Walking down the halls, she had hoped that with her keeping her distance from Wilhelm would make the voices he heard to follow her instead, at least that way he could sleep peacefully and without disturbance.

She didn't want to look for troubles, considering that there were those she had to keep it away from, there were numerous of reasons of why she should have just gone about with her day and ignore the whispers calling for her that she desperately wished to go away and leave her and her son be. She didn't even want to call it a _'voice'_, she wanted to believe that it was nothing but ringing in her ears that apparently had bothered Wilhelm as well.

Coming to stand in front of the two portraits that were hung in the halls. One of which her parents were standing proud and tall with their two young daughters; she was looking at the painter, smile calculated and reserved, while little Anna was actually smiling brightly at her, ignoring the tradition where she was supposed to look forward. The other was painted recently, of their growing family, with her in the middle holding the smiling Wilhelm, while Hans and Anna stood at each of her sides, even Kristoff -who stood by the Princess' side, Sven and Olaf were there too. Everyone who she ever loved were there within the castle's walls, safe and sound, and she was afraid of the risks that would come should she was to listen to her heart and followed the calling out into the unknown.

Making her way down the rounding stairs, she had found herself coming out of the small door at the side of the castle that lead to the fjord, to see the darkened waters beneath the silver moonlight as she descended the stone steps until her slippers touched the green grass by the edge of the water, her figure towering over the reflection of herself on the still surface.

What could it possibly want from her by keeping her awake like this? Was it there to distract her, her mind and her concentration, until she would make such terrible mistake that would cost her so much? Or could there be someone out there who was a little bit like her, one that perhaps shared the same magic as she? One that understood how hard could it be, for her, with her powers growing by the day?

A part of her, no matter how small or how big it was, wanted to know. It wanted to seek the answer to what had been calling for her, the reason _why _it had been calling for her and her son only while others had remained clueless of it.

Her magic grew around her, surrounding her with beautiful images made of glittering ice fractals that shone in the dark of the night, moving as if they were alive, running past her as it told of a story she could not understand. Swirling and ever-changing, colors switching shades and hues as it circled around her after she had released more from the palms of her hands, from a galloping horse to towering giants before they exploded in the air.

Feet picking up it's pace, she had come from a mere jog into a full run as she chased the swirling magic, up the raised ground that ended with nothing but an edge of a cliff. But her ice had grew from her feet as she ran, growing into an extension of solid block that could hold her weight as she spent the rest of her run into sliding to the very edge of her ice, hand reaching forward as she watched the leading magic fading into nothingness.

She didn't know what had gotten into her, it may be the adrenaline pumping through her system or perhaps something more, but the moment she had brought her hands down -after raising them up not long ago, the magic had created thousands -no it was _hundreds of thousands_, diamond-shaped ice suspended in the air that had suddenly stopped blowing against the satin nightgown she was wearing, spreading far and wide throughout Arendelle.

Upon closer inspection, there was something oddly familiar about the shapes before her. Each had their own unique markings, ancient runes that she knew of.

_Air, fire, water, and earth._

A flash of light, far across the fjord and beyond Arendelle's borders, shone brightly and so suddenly that she had stumbled backward before the ice had started to fall, each and every single one of them, that she had raised her arms to shield herself from any piece that might fall on her, but none had touched or even _grazed _her skin.

And there was a cry, loud and shrill, one she knew so well, coming from the castle that stood in the darkened night, and her heart skipped a beat.

Wilhelm.

**And yes, he can hear it, though I imagined it not as loud as Elsa did, and it's due to the fact that he's her son and thus a part of her.**


	4. A Hard Decision Made

**I am updating so quickly with such long chapters that it's almost scary, even for myself.**

"Wilhelm!"

The air raged, blowing so violently compared to the gentle breeze that had blew through Arendelle for days, strong enough to push people with it's force, prompting her to press her back against one of the buildings in town, skin making contact with the rough stone surface. There was no fire, disappeared into nothingness even before the wind had blew, from every street lamp and every candle that was lit after the loud sound of shattering ice. Water decreased until the fountains was rendered unmoving, lifeless, and even the waterfall had suddenly dried out.

The earth was next. They had to get out.

Having ran down the hills and into the castle's courtyard, she was met with nothing but an empty tall building looming over her. The staff and everyone inside must have evacuated themselves out, _Wilhelm must have been brought out_, Hans was there with him so he must have taken their son to safety. But her heart still raced, her hands still trembled, for as long as she had not seen her son safe with her own two eyes then she could never feel any sort of relief.

Her family was not her only concern.

The people were just as afraid, just as confused, for the events that had suddenly occurred in their kingdom. They were forced out of their homes, clad in nothing but their own sleeping wears just like she, children taken out of their beds and carried by their parents, crying and terrified.

"It will be okay!" she called out, as she led a family of four, briefly holding the boy's hand in hers as they struggled to even walk against the raging wind. "Evacuate to the cliffs!" his hand slipped through hers, as she had stayed behind while he was led forward by his own mother.

Standing in the middle of it all, she had looked around, turning head to try and find the familiar green nightgown that belonged to her sister among the greys, or the striking auburn hair of her husband's and her son's, or even Kristoff with his reindeer and Olaf, _anyone_.

"Hans!"

"Elsa!" Even through the wind and the commotion of people trying to get to safety, her ears were sharp in catching the voice of her husband calling for her name before she felt his strong hold against her arm, coming from behind her. "Are you crazy? Let's go!"

Wilhelm was crying in his Father's arm as the Prince brought the three of them to head for the cliffs, following the rest of Arendelle, and though she was desperate in holding him, to soothe him the way she always did, she knew that Hans could hold him far more securely at times like this, and if they ever needed her powers-

The ground below their feet rose, each of the stone that made up the pathway rising like violent tidal waves, and they had stumbled forward, with her almost falling if it had not been Hans' grip that had kept her off the ground.

All of this, this disaster that had befallen the peaceful kingdom of Arendelle, the event that had terrified children and adults alike…

She caused this.

* * *

"I don't understand. You have been hearing a voice?"

With things calming down, as each and every Arendelle citizen had been out of their houses for safety and had taken shelter up the cliffs overlooking the now empty kingdom, she had taken her time in explaining what she had been experiencing lately. Holding Wilhelm, whose cries had thankfully receded into a series of hiccups, though his body was trembling still as he clung closely to his mother, she had recalled of the moment she had heard of the call before the festival had begun, of how she had a strong believe that her son had also heard of it, as her hand kept on patting the child's back comfortingly.

The Princess had a trouble in understanding the situation at hand, as well as her auburn-haired brother in-law, as both stood before the Queen in a matter to interrogate her further.

"And you didn't think to tell any of us?" The was some sort of disappointment in Hans' voice as he spoke as his brows knitted at her direction. She could understand why the both of them had felt betrayed by her, but how could she tell them anyway? That a voice called for her and yet no one else could hear it but Wilhelm, who was far too young to understand and explain?

"I didn't want to worry you, either of you."

"We made a promise not to shut each other out." And she remembered that promise, she truly did, she had been trying her best in fulfilling it too. It was just rather silly if she was to tell them and then the voice had meant nothing.

Looking up at her husband, she was only met with a disapproving look clear across his face. "You know pushing people away would not help you." She knew, she had many experiences proving that her husband was right, that keeping things to herself was never a good choice. This thing that happened to Arendelle now had only been added to that list.

"Just," the Princess let out a sigh as she watched how the older sister had kept her lips tightly shut even after she had been bombarded by the two. "Tell us what's going on."

Reverting her gaze away from the two pairs of eyes watching her, she had taken a deep breath before she dared herself to face them once more. "I woke the magical spirits of the Enchanted Forest." There. If they wanted the truth, then she will give them the truth. She had been rather confident in her theory too. But it was the only plausible answer that she could conclude from the whole thing, the elements wreaking havoc in Arendelle matched with the four spirits that her Father had told her about in his tale and it matched with the ancient runes she had seen on the diamond-shaped ice before they fell and shattered.

And they were silent, the both of them, staring blankly at the platinum blonde haired Queen in disbelief before Hans had regained himself, blinking before his brows had furrowed, this time in confusion. "That was definitely not what I thought you were going to say."

"Wait, the Enchanted Forest?" The Princess had caught up, if only a moment slower, as her mind finally registered what her older sister had told her. "The one that Father warned us about?" The Queen had nodded then, slowly, as she felt her son had finally beginning to truly calmed down in her arms. "What would you do that?"

"Because of the voice." Because she was driven into it, led into something that she did not understand yet but her heart had felt like she had to, had seen glimpses of it through her magic. "I know it sounds crazy, but I believe whoever is calling me is good."

"How can you say that? Look at our kingdom."

"I know." She was well aware of the state of Arendelle at the moment, how their home had been turned into an empty hollow kingdom that lacked from every resource that they once had. The place that had once posed as the safe haven to everyone living in there had turned back against them, had become a dangerous place one should not step into. "It just that my magic can feel it. I can feel it." And she trusted her magic now, she trusted herself, and Wilhelm could feel it too, it must have meant something.

Exchanging looks, both Hans and Anna had let out a sigh as they gave her a small nod. "Okay." They decided to believe in her then.

The ground shook once more, and this time she had held Wilhelm tightly against her chest, shielding him as she braced for whatever it was that was coming next. She thought they would be safe up here, out of Arendelle, but if the elements had followed them here, had followed _her _here, then-

"Kristoff!" the blonde-haired man was lying on the ground, most definitely spoiling the robe he was wearing with dirt and a little bit of mud that was on the ground, with a rocky figure above him. "We missed you!"

Right. Kristoff's family was trolls. Anna had found out first, naturally, and had told the older sister of it, which had her eyes widened in disbelief as she sat at her desk trying to process the fact that magical trolls, like the ones in the legends and stories, were actually quite real and was the family of the man that her younger sister was courting. Even now, seeing them rolling down from the mountains, she still could not believe her eyes.

Approaching the eldest of all, Grand Pabbie as Anna had once told her, she could feel Hans' hand holding onto the small of her back as Wilhelm had peeked from the safety of the crook of her neck, curious with the being that now stood before them.

"I hope you're prepared for what you have done, Elsa." Being outside of her rule, the trolls did not necessarily require to call her by her title, and it was a little new for her who had been so used to it, but she would rather not argue with magical beings. "Angry magical spirits are not for the faint of heart."

Anna had expressed much of what she was questioning herself, of why the spirits were still angry after all these years, and why they were angry at them, at Arendelle? What has the kingdom done to be involved in such a mess of ancient war?

Magic came forth under Pabbie's order, lightning up the darkened sky with images that could tell stories. A dam, one that was very similar to what her Father had told her about, floated above their heads in the color of lilac and turquoise. "The past is not what it seemed." Changing, now it showed of a truce between two tribes, two people shaking hands, before it changed into a battle between the two. Wilhelm had whimpered then, hiding his face back, and she rested her hand against his head to comfort him. "A wrong demand to be righted." The castle appeared next, standing tall just like always. "Arendelle is not safe." Stepping forward, as the image of her kingdom had drawn her close, her eyes were wide as she kept her gaze on it. "The truth must be found. Without it," the image disappeared until there was nothing else but the empty sky, not even the stars could be seen. "I see no future."

Fingers curling around her arm, she was tugged back to return at her husband's side as he held her tight. "No future?" Exchanging looks, she knew that she and Hans had shared similar thoughts on what Grand Pabbie has said. They could not have _'no future' _for their son, the kingdom was all they had, if there was no Arendelle then they had no idea what they would do.

"When one can see no future, all one can do is the next right thing."

"The next right thing," the one thing that she had to do, the one thing that the Queen was _supposed _to do. "is for me to go to the Enchanted Forest and find that voice." It was the only plausible way, she was the only one that could do it since she was the only adult that could hear the voice and thus followed it. Looking up, her eyes met with the ice harvester, as she already formed a plan of her own… of sort. "Kristoff, can I borrow your wagon? And Sven?"

"I'm not very comfortable with the idea of that." He looked quite unsure, as he must have felt like he had been denying the demands of the Queen but at the very same time had been sincere about his expressed feelings.

But even before she could argue further with him, the Princess had stepped forward. "You are not going alone."

"Anna, no." Sighing, she could already tell that rather than arguing with the ice harvester she was most likely going to argue with her younger sister instead. "I have my powers to protect me, you don't."

"Excuse me? I'm your sister." Barely even an argument, she had to admit to that one. If anything, it only made her wanted to protect Anna even more by having her staying behind with the others. "Between us all, I'm the only one who is the closest person to be related to the magic-wielding person in the world, and you _promised _that we would stay together, forever and always. Also, I have a rather loud voice."

"Having a loud voice isn't-"

She was not even allowed to finish her sentence as the Princess had taken her hand in hers, prompting her to look into her eyes. "Whatever it is, I'm coming, Elsa, and that's final."

"Me too. I'll drive." Her eyes narrowed at Kristoff, who had spoken even before she could say anything to Anna, making her had to shut her mouth before anything could come out.

"I'll bring the snacks!" Head whipping around to see the snowman passing through without a care for the world, without a care of what he had involved himself in, she could only glare at each one of them who had allowed themselves to join her even without her consent.

"When are we going?"

Now this one, she _had _to argue with. Turning around to face her husband, she had firmly shaken her head in disagreement at him. "No, you are staying here." His mouth opened to speak up, much like how she had earlier, and this time she got to be the one who interrupted. "You need to take care of Wilhelm."

"No offense, but out of the others, I can defend you the best." That, she couldn't really argue with. He was a master of sword-fighting, and even without his actual sword strapped on his hip at the moment he would use the argument of the fact that she could conjured one for him, she didn't need him to voice it out to know. "You need me, Elsa."

It was never about her in the first place when it comes to him though.

Tugging him along to the side, away from others so that they could gain the privacy that they needed, she had taken a deep breath as she braced herself. "Our son needs you more." How much more obvious she could possibly be when she had their son currently clinging to her at the very moment right now, weighted against her shoulder and arms, probably already half-asleep after the shock he had gone through earlier. "He's a child, Hans, we can't leave him here alone. And don't you dare even _suggest _we bring him along."

If something was to happened, something terrible and unavoidable, then she would rather Wilhelm lost one parent than both. She would rather have the knowledge that he was safe with his father instead of suddenly losing the both of them.

"Do you think that we have a choice?"

His hands reached forward, taking ahold of the boy, and before she could even question or protest that he was going to wake him up, Hans had pulled the auburn-haired boy away from her, holding him until she was just out of reach for him.

And it had not taken Wilhelm long to cry. To whine and kicked the air as he desperately tried to free himself and get back into her arms. "Could you imagine if you're gone for _days_?" Wilhelm and his separation issue, of course Hans would have used _that_ against her. In the entirety of his life, her son had _barely _ever been separated from her for so long, had always cling against her in the majority of his days. Especially during times like this, when he had been afraid and freshly crying, it was far harder for her to even put him down.

If she was to go and Wilhelm was to stay, even when he had Hans with him, he would be miserable without his mother to hold and comfort him. And she would have a difficult time from the lack of knowledge whether her son was alright. God.

"Fine!" Reaching up, she had taken her son back into her arms, noting how his cries had already decreased the moment he was back into having himself pressed against her skin, his racing heartbeat receding until he had calmed back down. Narrowing her eyes disapprovingly, as she still could not believe that Hans had the nerves to do such thing, she had tightened her jaw. "But if anything was to happen to him, Hans, I swear to God-"

"He's my son too, Elsa, whatever it is that we may face will have to go over my dead body to even think of harming him."

**As per the many suggestions and requests coming in the Discord channel that I'm in, Hans and Wilhelm are coming with the gang. I once planned that they didn't but well, I give what the people wants.**


	5. Journey into the Mist

**Wow, the amount of trust you guys have on this humble writer lol.**

**I am trying to get this fic differently from what occurred in F2, but for now we mostly have to stick to the movie to get them where they needed.**

"Did you know that water has memory?"

The farther they were from Arendelle the more she had beginning to question whether her choice in travel's companion was truly the right thing to do. The ice harvester had urged Sven to pull them in such speed that the air that blew against the skin of her face was a little too harsh for her to like -especially at that one sharp turn where her side was facing right at the edge of a cliff, and since it was a _wagon _more than a carriage it had no roof nor walls to protect them. But it seemed that she was the only one that faced discomfort with the whole experience.

Anna was laughing, rather gleefully, from the overall thrill that she was in, turquoise eyes wide as she looked over the view that they were passing, the nature outside their kingdom that they had never seen before. Hans sat by Kristoff's side, at the front, conversing with the blonde man over things that she could not fully understand due to Olaf's decision of starting a game of trivia. Honestly, she didn't even know where he had gotten all of those facts that he was sharing with them, from ones she could comprehend to ones that was almost _impossible _to believe.

"True fact. It's disputed by many, but it's true."

Even Wilhelm seemed to enjoy the trip, thankfully, as he sat on her lap, held securely by her arm as her free hand waved through the air, creating harmless ice magic to keep him occupied. If he had been fussy then she truly could not have survived this, as a toddler crying throughout a journey that took who-knows-how-long would give her serious headache. His hand reached forward, and she dismissed of the ice just as he held her hand, fingers curling around her much bigger one. Her hand seemed to have fascinate him, as he brought it closer to inspect, and while he held onto it with one hand the other had the job to run his own finger against her palm.

"Mama." His head perked up, turned until he could look up at her, who smiled down at him over how adorable he had looked, with his lips parting and eyes wide and clear, the tiniest of teeth had beginning to show on both his upper and lower gum when the corners of his mouth tugged into a wide smile, and while the teething process had drove the boy to be far more difficult due to how uncomfortable he was, the sight had only had her heart melted. "Mama!"

No matter how more than a year had passed since Wilhelm had been born, a part of her still could not believe that she had the ability to create such wonderful human being that was sitting on her lap right now, far more beautiful and magnificent than anything that she had ever laid her eyes on, with such big heart and that adorable face that could rendered anyone into a series of cooing. And he was hers, he was her son, her whole world, and he looked at her with such adoration that she never thought she deserved.

"Did you know gorillas burp when they're happy?"

She was so close in taking her words back.

Her magic could only keep Wilhelm's distracted for so long, as no matter how fascinated he was with ice and snow, watching it repetitively shown at him had becoming rather boring even for the toddler. He had been switching seats too as to give him a change of scenario and for his mother to stretch her tired muscles. When Anna held him, she told him of stories that she read throughout her childhood, of the portraits in the gallery that she often conversed to. When Hans had his turn, he pointed to the nature that passed through them, naming the trees and sharing his knowledge over things from his experience as an Admiral that had sailed to various kingdoms.

But even that could not satisfy the boy enough, as he had whined and demanded for her to take him back, just as she was finishing in stretching her legs from the pins and needles she was experiencing from the large amount of sitting. They had stopped a couple of times, to eat and to let Sven rest, but mostly they had on the go as they wished to not waste precious time, knowing that the people of Arendelle waited for them back home.

The moment he was back in her lap, the first thing he had grabbed was the hem of her jacket, tugging against it as he babbles in irritation. This gesture, she knew far too well.

"Turn around, boys," the two men had sat sideways as to see what the small commotion at the back had been about, and when they were given a stern look from the Queen, both had complied by turning their attentions back to the road ahead. But the snowman remained sitting there, facing her expectantly, curious. "Olaf, that includes you."

"Oh, okay."

"It's not like I've never seen _every _part of you, darling." The auburn-haired Prince commented, which had the man sitting beside him choking from the bold words he had used and the Princess struggling desperately not to laugh. With the heat climbing up her cheeks as she held her nursing son against her chest, she had conjured a snowball with her free hand, launching it straight toward the back of her husband's head, which sent him stumbling from the force and the sudden coldness. "Alright, I'm sorry! I was just saying."

Anna's laugh had only broken then, loud and clear, without an ounce of self-control as she found the brief exchange of her older sister and her brother in-law to be the most fun she could possibly get on the trip. Olaf, on the other hand, had only questioned why it had happened in the first place, as he had no understanding of how Hans' words had been so improper to express in public.

"Did you know sleeping quietly on long journeys prevents insanity?"

The sun had set long ago, blanketing them in the darkness of the night with only the lantern that Kristoff that lit up as their source of light. They were exhausted and jokes and laughter had died down hours ago, at least from them. The snowman was still going strong with his game, even when they had enough trivia for each already, the only change that he did was to lower down his voice due to the fact that Wilhelm had slept against his mother's chest and she had repeatedly told each one of them not to make so much noise, other than that it was all the same.

But Olaf's laughter came as soon as Kristoff had voiced his own version of trivia that had represent the others on the wagon, and the sudden burst had the toddler squirming in his sleep, driving her into covering his ears with her hands while she hissed the snowman's name sharply as a warning.

"Yeah, that's not true."

A chorus of agreement to the ice harvester's words were then heard, even Hans who had moved to the back in exchange of Anna sitting at the front had nodded in agreement. His hand had been caressing her arm as she leaned against his chest, acting as her makeshift pillow after she had complained that her body was aching.

"Well, that was unanimous. But I will look it up when we get home."

Home. They had not even reached the Enchanted Forest yet and already she was missing home, the warmth and comfort that the castle bring, the safety that the walls provided for her family, the plush bed and the warm water she bathed in. Tugging up her mother's scarf until it covered more of Wilhelm's body as he slept, she had let out a small sigh. If she had not awoken the spirits then none of this would have happened, her poor son would be sleeping comfortably in his own nursery instead of slumping against her chest like this, exposed to the outside world for such long duration.

"Get some sleep, Elsa."

* * *

"-No, I'm not saying you're wrong, or crazy."

A few hours of peaceful sleep, that was all she needed, that was all she wished for, without much of a disturbance or a voice vocalizing in her ears that was calling for her no matter how hard she had tried to dismiss of it. She had successfully shut her eyes, letting her body relaxed against her husband's as she only half-minded the sensation of his warm hands running up and down across her arm with the weight of her son across her chest as he brought her deeper into slumber until she could no longer be aware of her surrounding as it faded into the back of her mind.

"I'm saying that-"

But the voice came back, haunting her even when she was deep in her own dream, and the whimper coming from her son was all it takes to pull her back into the reality as she sat up. Wilhelm was wide awake by now, though from his face she knew he was not pleased with being rudely woken up, looking up at her with knitted brows before he turned to look ahead, to where the voice had come from.

"Kristoff, stop. Please." She didn't even have the slightest idea as to what he and her sister was talking about at the front while she had slept with the others, only seeing out of the corner of her eye that Olaf was too finally asleep, head resting against her husband's boots. Whatever it was, her telling him to stop had been deemed to be a good idea even by the blonde man himself. "I hear it, I hear the voice."

"You do?" Moving to jump off the still going wagon after she had placed Wilhelm down and off her lap, she did not even wait for Kristoff to pull on Sven's reins to bring them into a stop as she took her son out of the wagon as well, only giving a quick nod at her sister's direction as she carried the auburn-haired young Prince ahead with her. "Hans, Olaf, wake up!"

The sight before her was beautiful.

A thick wall of mist stood before them, high enough that she could not even see the very top of it, blending into the blue sky. It stretched as far as the eye could see, like a never-ending boundary that separated the Enchanted Forest from the rest of the world. Wilhelm's hand reached out, right toward the mist, as he looked up at her. The voice came from there, he was telling her to go.

And she did.

Stopping right before it, a chill ran down her spine at how _powerful _the mist had felt, magic hanging thick in the atmosphere. She had never felt such sensation before, even the tickling feeling that she often felt at the tips of her fingers whenever her magic swirled just under her skin was nothing like this.

Kristoff, who had joined her with the rest, had stepped forward, enchanted by the sight just like she, though the moment his body had made contact with the mist, he was met with some sort of a resistance that forced him stumbling backward.

_No one can get in, and no one has since come out._

It was what her Father had told her about the mist that covered the Enchanted Forest, that it forced whoever attempted to step into it out, and that people inside could never come out, stuck under the powerful spell that has blanketed the forest the moment the spirits were angered. But the voice calling for her came from the other side of it, _from inside_, demanding her to come.

"Elsa," Hans' hands come to take their son from her embrace, holding him for her instead as he took her hand in his, squeezing. "This doesn't feel right."

But it did. For her, it did.

Tugging him along, she had stepped forward, one free hand raised in front of her, inhaling a deep breath as she moved to touch the mist. And it parted for her, though not completely, but there was some sort of a reaction when her skin had made contact with the air that brushed gently against her palm, revealing the four stones standing tall.

_Air, fire, water, and earth._

They were in the right place.

Anna stepped forward until she stood right at her older sister's side, hand placed on her shoulder. "Promise me, we do this together, okay?" and she had turned to look at the strawberry blonde-haired Princess, at her hand that rested in a comforting and encouraging gesture, and she had nodded, promising that they would. She wouldn't push them away.

Sven had made a nervous sound when they walked through the mist, perhaps spooked at the lack of view that it allowed them to see as they were surrounded from all sides, only parting whenever she moved forward.

"Did you know that an Enchanted Forest is a place of transformation?" Olaf piped in, as he walked between both sisters while she had only held onto her husband's hand tighter. "I have no idea what that means, but I can't wait to see what it's going to do to each one of us." That part did nothing but to picked her heartrate as she glanced at both Hans and Anna, each having the similar nervous look on their faces. What kind of transformation that they would go through now that they were walking straight into such unknown place? What would it mean for them, for their relationship with each other? For Wilhelm, who barely understood the whole situation and yet having himself being brought along.

An invisible force had suddenly pushed them forward, not enough to make them fall but enough to make them pick on their paces as they found themselves suddenly moving so much quicker toward the end of the long tunnel. Anna had protested, with the saying that there should not be any sort of pushing, though she knew it was fruitless as there was no actual form that they could protested to.

It disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. The moment that they found themselves standing in the forest, the force was simply… gone. Turning around, she had shot a blast of magic into the mist, a test for what it could do, and yet it had simply been bounced back, shooting back to her, barely missing Hans' shoulder as the man had moved right in time to keep their son out of the projectile's path.

"Careful, Elsa!"

"We're locked in…" Anna had stated the obvious, just after she had tried her own hands in trying to go back through, finding the similar force blocking her way like it had blocked Kristoff earlier. "Probably should have seen that one coming."

After making sure that they truly could not return the way that they had come, it was only then that she had turned around and realized the one thing none of them had noticed before. "This forest is beautiful." The sound of nature was the only thing that they could heard, peaceful and quiet without the busy noises of people that they were used in hearing back in Arendelle. The trees stood tall and solid with leaves that had changed into the shades of autumn.

"Papa, pretty!" Wilhelm had leaned forward in his father's hold, trying to reach for one particular tree, wanting to touch it. Hans had complied, of course, carrying his son toward what had caught his eyes, chuckling when the boy's curious hands had run across the surface of it, gaze locked in awe.

"Elsa!" her head had whipped around the moment her sister's voice called for her, watching as the Princess came running down a low hill, dried leaves crunching under her boots, taking her hands in hers as she came to stand before her, breath coming in short pants from her earlier jog. "There you are! You okay?"

But it had been her who had went ahead herself, and she had seen Kristoff and Sven following close behind thus why she had not worried much, and it was rather surprising that she was the one that had came back with worry in her tone, checking in with her. "I'm fine."

"Okay, good." She had a small relieved smile across her face, if only for a moment as she had taken it upon herself to look around, eyes casted downwards as frown beginning to replace her expression. "Where's Olaf?"

He was supposed to be there, standing by her side, following her around like he often does. But now that Anna had mentioned it, she had only realized that the snowman was no where to be seen. "Hans," calling out for her husband, she had made him looked over his shoulder as he rose from his kneeling position, as Wilhelm may have seen something that interested him on the ground. "Have you seen Olaf?"

"I thought he was with you."


	6. An Old Friend and an Old Foe

**Thank you, dearest RedHood, for concerning over myself, I'm touched, truly. But I'm fine, this is my form of procrastination, where I'm supposed to do my college assignments but I write instead. Also yes, it's not even 24 hours and I'm updating already, I'm that lazy in avoiding my final exams.**

**I cannot write action sequence, for the life of me.**

She really should not have brought Wilhelm along.

Venturing deep into the forest, they had called for the snowman's name, for she had sworn she had told him to stay close, told everyone to mind the fact that they should not be separated at all cost, especially in such unknown place where threats may as well be lurking just around the corner, waiting for the perfect moment of vulnerability that would take them by surprise. Having Hans carried their son instead of she the moment they had stepped into the mist brought a form of relief for her, for she knew he would be safer in the arms of his father, knowing that Hans would not act so carelessly and risked his safety.

But how far could a talking walking snowman with a mind of a child stray away from them anyway? He should not have gone too far, perhaps one different turn had led him into separating from them. She should have paid more attention to those around her instead of marveling at her surrounding, if they could not find him then-

"Olaf!" the shout coming from the Princess had their heads turning at the direction she had went into running toward, and her eyes had widened at the sight of the tornado that raged before them. She really should not have brought any of them here with her.

Seeing how her younger sister had ran straight toward it, putting herself in absolute danger, her feet had moved into chasing after her. "Anna, no!" Catching her wrist, her intention was to get her back and away from the raging vortex, but she had felt her feet lifting off the ground instead as both sisters were sucked into it, swept into the never-ending tornado.

"Elsa!"

Her first thought, as her body was violently tossed around and floating in the air, was of her son. Her ears were ringing from the deafening force, and her limbs could not find any sort of solid ground to hold on to, but her eyes searched for any sign of her little boy. She could not comprehend with the idea of him being swept into this mess as well, her heart simply could not bear even with the mere thought of it.

But there wasn't any.

Now that she had taken a closer look, the tornado had only taken her and Anna, with the addition of Olaf -whose body was separating from each other but had seemed unbothered by it, who was already inside before the two sisters were taken. The three others were left behind. _That _should have brought her relief.

But why did it only take the two of them? She was sure that Olaf's presence was more of an accidental thing, that he was simply on the way, but she and Anna… they were both surrounded by the others, yet it almost felt like the wind spirit -as Olaf had introduced it, had it's interest solely on the two women.

"I think I'm going to be sick!"

She would too, if only she had not endured through morning sickness for literal _months _during her pregnancy, where her stomach had twisted and turned far worse than her situation at the moment as she had found a way to balance herself, spreading her arms and legs to a certain degree until she did not get flipped as much.

A tree, or a large branch -she couldn't really tell in the midst of the chaos, passed through her line of vision, being brought along as the tornado made it's way through the forest, rounding pass her younger sister's before turning right back toward her, all of which Anna did not even realized as she was far too preoccupied with holding the urge to puke. Raising her hand, a blast of ice had shot through from her, going passed her sister's head and hitting the branch with such accuracy that it was sent flying away.

Her action had prompted an invisible force to round around her leg and then arms, averting her from aiming correctly with a whistle that rung high in her ears. Had this what the wind spirit truly looked like? High-pitched with flying dried leaves as the only indication that it was there? "Hey! Stop!"

There was not much time for her to even properly processed what was happening, as suddenly her surrounding had only closed in on her, becoming more violent as she was back into being tossed around, and this time she could not see nor hear her sister or Olaf with her. She had to do something, or else there might not be an end to this assault she was enduring. Gathering her hands in front of her, she had let her magic to gathered, growing as her hands grew colder, her heart raced against her chest as she felt the magic swirling in her veins.

Spreading her hands out to her side, her feet had finally touched the ground, leaves crunching under the soles of her boots, as she held back the wind from sucking her back into the vortex. Her brows knitted as she held on, but the wind was just as headstrong as it pushed back against her, muscles tensing, her eyes were shut closed as she could feel the droplets of sweat starting to run from her temple and down to her chin.

Laughter. She could hear… laughter.

Forcing herself to open her eyes, she had looked up the endless tornado, letting out a gasp as she could _see _images playing above her, of children running and laughing joyfully in white.

_"Prince Agnarr."_

It couldn't be. The boy, she felt as if she had seen him somewhere, and when that voice called for him, for his name, there was a lump growing in her throat. It was Father. The image had soon dissipated, and a man swinging his sword appeared at her side that she had flinched and lose a moment of concentration until her hands had to be brought so close to her face, having her guard shaken.

_"For Arendelle."_

The face of her grandfather had appeared, speaking of those two words as if he was speaking _to _her, and her eyes had shut back closed as her mind was filled with the sounds of battle, swords clashing against each other, of cries and shouting she could not bear to hear, of the pain that she sworn upon herself she could _feel _cutting through her.

_"Father!"_

A sudden burst of energy filled her before she had spread her hands completely, far and wide to her sides, dismissing of the vortex once and for all as she felt her body shaking after she had used so much of her energy, falling down to her knees as her breath came in heavy and short pants. She had heard the rustling of leaves as someone ran up to her before a pair of hands had been placed upon her shoulders, small and lithe that they could not belong to her husband. It was Anna who came, asking if she had been alright, and she had nodded as she rose back onto her feet. She was fine now that she was not being thrown around.

"What are these?" Looking up, she had only realized of what had surrounded her now after Kristoff had spoken up, eyes wide as she marveled at the snow-white sculptures that were created the moment she had fought of the wind spirit.

Hans had moved too, approaching one that deciphered a rearing horse, whether in the midst of starting to run or being spooked by something, either way it had looked so majestic standing on it's hind legs, frozen in place. "They look like moments in time." Wilhelm's hand had cautiously reached forward, touching the nose of the creature as he babbled, perhaps it had reminded him of Sitron, his father's horse.

"What's that thing you said, Olaf?" She moved to join them then, her own hand running over the front leg as Anna had frowned as she attempted to remind herself of one of the many facts that the snowman had told them about during his game. "The thing about water."

"Water has memory." Olaf answered, just as he made his way away from the ice sculpture in a shape of a campfire. Even now, in the midst of all this, his love for summer and heat were still present. "The water that makes up you and me has passed through at least four humans, and or animals, before us." Her nose scrunched at that, of the thought that was anything but pleasing, and when she glanced at her son, even he had a look of confusion on his face, though she doubted that he truly understood any of it. "And remembers _everything_."

The wind spirit had returned, with that same pitched whistling and rustling of leaves that it carried as it's only physical form, though this time it had reduced into a gentler and even playful being as it swirled around each one of them. Wilhelm was delighted as he clapped his hands, giggling when Gale -as Olaf had named it apparently, swirled around him.

What had made her heart skipped a beat was when the boy had been lifted out of his father's arms, floating in the air as she let out a terrified squeak, making quick move to get her son back as the wind spirit had thankfully returned him into her arms safely, though still she had narrowed her eyes in slight irritation, holding the unbothered young Prince close as she moved to keep him away from the elemental being.

"Mama, Mama!" Wilhelm had leaned toward her side, arms reaching out just as he followed the direction that Gale had moved to, prompting the adults to follow his gaze as well to see a one particular sculpture that none had noticed before. It was of two people, not even had gone through with their teenage years, a boy being held up by a girl.

Anna had come close to the boy's face, studying him with knitted brows as her hand ran over the surface of his shoulder. "Father." Her word had come in a whisper before she had looked up at the older sister that had joined her. "That's Father." And indeed it was, it was the same boy that she had seen in the tornado earlier, the one that someone had called by their Father's name, they recognized the Arendelle's Prince outfit he was wearing.

But it was the girl that had drawn her attention more, had made her tilted her head to a side as she watched Wilhelm's finger ran over her cheek. "This girl…" there was something familiar about her, as if she had known her before, had seen someone like her in her life, but she couldn't quite seem to be able to put a name on that face.

"She's saving him." Glancing up, she had nodded in agreement at her husband's words, as he was able to study such action so quickly even when he had stood further away than her and Anna.

"She's Northuldra." Now that Kristoff had mentioned it, she realized that it was indeed the truth. The clothes she wore, she had never seen it before anywhere else, too traditional to be worn by a person of Arendelle. But if it was true, then what of the battle between the two-

A horn was blown loudly, it's sound echoed throughout the forest, awakening the birds as leaves on the trees rustled harshly. The hold around her neck tightened, as her son hid his face in the crook of her neck, and she had adjusted her hold on him with a gentle bounce as to free one of her arms. Hans moved forward, standing on her left as to shield their son further as they moved backward, avoiding the sounds coming right in front of them.

"What are you going to do with _that_?"

Blue eyes glancing after hearing Kristoff's low hiss, it had seemed that her younger sister had acquired a sword made of ice from one of the sculptures, though she had expressed her zero knowledge on what she was going to do with it. Anna could be repulsive at times, and even when both of them knew that she had no experience wielding a sword -a sword fighting game that they did during their childhood was _not _counted as one, she still had the need to hold one.

It may have been jealously that had driven her husband to nudge her at her side, making her looked up at him questioningly as he gestured at his empty hand. "A little help, wife?" Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she had quickly conjured his own ice sword, tossing it precisely into his hand.

What drove Anna to charged head first forward was beyond her, as she could only watched in total disbelief as the Princess swung her sword with such force that it had completely cleaned off the bushes before her, revealing the crowd of Northuldra behind it as she came rushing back to rejoin their group. A couple more of the tribe had revealed themselves to once perched up the trees as they came landing right before their eyes, staffs held up as a form of weaponry as Wilhelm let out a quiet whimper that only drove her to raise her own hand more defensively.

"Lower your weapon."

And she wanted to hiss at the young woman to lower _hers_, as it was a clear threat that had scared her son, but the sound of clanking as metal hit metal brought them to whipped around in alarm, as they had not heard the ones behind them before.

"And you lower yours."

She recognized those uniform, the crest on the shields the men were holding, they are Arendellian soldiers. Though she could not recognize their faces, they were unfamiliar to her, and she was proud to say that she remembered each of the guard and soldier under her reign. Unless they were never under her reign to begin with.

"Why does that soldier look so familiar?" She had not paid much attention to her younger sister -who apparently had recognized one of the soldiers, as her eyes had returned to the young woman before her, she was the closest to her than any others, and the closest to her meant that she was also the closest to Wilhelm. She was her biggest threat at the moment.

Whatever it was that Anna had done behind her back had triggered both sides, Northuldra and Arendelle, to charge forward, ready to attack as she saw Hans had raised his own sword as well, readying himself to defend them. But there were too many of them, even with Hans' skill in wielding a sword and Anna's impulsive self, even with Kristoff's large build and her magic, battling both sides would put them in danger.

So she did what she thought was best. Unleashing her magic downward to the ground, she had created a layer of ice that quickly spread on the ground, beneath everyone's feet but hers and her family's, sending their attackers to slip and fall from the sudden smooth layer of slippery ice, stopping the confrontation that would have arisen.

"That was magic." The one that they had called Lieutenant had his eyes wide as he looked at her in disbelief, speaking to the Northuldra woman that had fallen close to him as he continued to slide slowly on the ice. "Did you see that?"

"Of course I saw it."

But this was not the kind of introduction she wanted to do, she would never want to expose herself like this if the circumstances had gone differently and she did not feel threatened. Sighing, she had called for her magic to return to her, for her ice to retreat until everyone could stand back on their feet, even dismissing of both ice swords that Hans and Anna had held in their hands as she didn't need for them to appear threatening. "I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle." She didn't need to introduce the rest, to tell them who each of them was, her status as Queen was all that was needed to show that she was who they were to speak to. "I have awoken the elemental spirits, forcing us out of our kingdom, and now our only hope is to find the truth about the past."

"Why would nature reward a person of Arendelle with magic?" She must have been the leader of the Northuldra, the older woman that was once fallen by the Lieutenant's side, the way she had held herself as she stood was different from the other. Her years of being Queen and meeting leaders of neighboring kingdoms had trained her to see the difference.

"Perhaps to make up for the action of your people." The Lieutenant shot back, clearly the years of being stuck in the forest had not decreased the hatred boiling between the two sides.

"My people are innocent. We would have never attacked first."

"May the truth be found." Anna had wandered off by herself once more, coming close to the Lieutenant as she tilted her head, brows furrowing in deep concentration as her fingers were raised to mimic a square. The gesture had confused the man, for obvious reasons, as he leaned his body back to avoid the Princess.

"That's it!" the strawberry blonde-haired Princess had suddenly shouted, as she seemed to have figure out whatever it was she was thinking, prompting the older sister to come approach her. "Lieutenant Mattias! Library, second portrait on the left, you are our Father's official guard." The details that Anna had on the man was incredible, to say the least, as she was able to recognize him from a mere portrait that was painted _years _ago, even able to name _where _it was hung in the castle.

"Agnarr." The man had spoken their Father's name with such gentle tone, he had known him from his youth, back when he was merely a young Prince. His face had fallen though, when realization hit him, for she was still young and yet she was Queen. "What did happen to your parents?"

And even then her shoulders had slumped, as well as Anna's, eyes darted downward as the old pain came crawling back. "Our parents' ship went down in the Southern Seas seven years ago." It was still such a painful and hard day for them, when servants had come bearing the news, even worse she could not comfort her younger sister, too afraid of her powers.

His dark eyes glanced toward the little boy held close against his mother, a small gentle smile on his lips when Wilhelm had peeked out curiously. "And that is your son?" She had nodded then, eyes glancing back at Hans who stood close by before turning her attention back just to see the older man nodded. "Soldiers." Turning his head to address his mates, Mattias had lifted up his shield once more. "We may be getting old in years but we're still strong." They moved to stand between them and the Northuldra, defenses raised. "And proud to serve Arendelle."

This was not what she wanted, for them to stand up and fight again, her intention had always been to avoid any sort of confrontation. "Wait, please." Stepping forward, she had stood between the Arendellian soldiers and the Northuldra, facing the tribe with lowered hand to show that she meant no harm. "Someone has called me here. If I can just find them, I believe they have the answer to free this forest." To free them, to lift the curse, and to get back home. "Trust me, I just want to help."

The Northuldra leader shook her head, even when she had plead the woman still would not take her words to heart. "We only trust nature. When nature speaks, we listen."

A sudden burst behind her had shocked everyone, making them turn just as fire consumed the nearby tree, making the people around to jump back to avoid getting licked by the flames.

"Fire spirit!"


	7. A Sacrifice She Had to Make

**Hello, I'm updating again.**

The safety of her son became her first priority.

Chaos erupted the moment the fire spirit had beginning to set the forest ablaze, flames crawling around the barks, over the dried leaves on the ground, and even leaping between trees; sending people in a hurried rush in attempt to avoid it at all costs, shouting for them to head for the river where they would seek the safety of water.

A body collided with hers, sending her stumbling backwards with Wilhelm in her embrace before a pair of arms had wrapped themselves securely around her, only then she had realized that it was her husband who had came for her, using his own body to shield her and their son out of harm's way.

"Take him!" Shoving the boy into his father's arms was not the gentlest thing that she had done, but fire was quickly surrounding them and she needed the both of them to get as far as they possibly could to safety, away from all of this, and Hans could run far quicker than she. He did hold their son close, one hand cradling his head in form of comfort as the boy had started to cry in fear once more, but he didn't move, had only glared at her as a silent demand for her to come as well, and that had made her shove _him_. "God, Hans, go!"

She promised him that she was right behind them, that she would follow him to safety like any sane person would, but her path was cut by the sudden flames that appeared right by her feet, separating her. And she had to admit, she was _angry_.

Angry for these spirits that had kept on endangering her and her family -her young son, angry for the fact that they had driven her people out of the kingdom as they rendered it from being a safe place to a literal disastrous land, angry for their action of locking these people, Arendelle and Northuldra, in this forest for years without a mean to release them even when it had not been their fault.

Blast after blast was shot from her hands as she chased the running fire, but her accuracy could not keep up with how quick and agile the spirit was moving, leaving her ice into freezing the flames without actually catching it. And if she could put out the fire then she would. Her aim became meaningless as she waved her hands wherever fire was burning, but for each round of flame that she put out another had quickly replaced it somewhere else.

"Anna!" Her sister's name was shouted, in the middle of all the forest fire, and she had taken her time into realizing that the Princess was standing there, surrounded, coughing from the thick smoke as she tried desperately to cover her nose and mouth with her cape.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight. Of her younger sister in danger, helpless, that she had let out such large amount of her magic to dissipate of the flames around her, so much and so sudden that the moment Kristoff had swept the Princess up onto Sven, her body had given away until she was on her hands and knees. "Get her out of here!"

There was no time for her to gather much of her energy, as she had barely standing up when the fire spirit had returned and her chase for it had continued, down the hills as she put her magic back to work of putting out the flame. It was headed for the Northuldra's village, and she had taken it upon herself to make sure that no flame would even touch their houses, blocking the spirit's path whenever it came too close, until it had nowhere to go but into a small hole.

There, she had it trapped, her magic gathered in her hands until they turned ice cold, raised as she was ready to end this.

Until she lowered her hands back and her magic receded at the sight before her. She had trapped the fire spirit, but the closer she had looked, the more she realized that the spirit that people had feared so much was a… salamander?

A salamander that could spit fire.

She had lowered herself until she was practically sitting on the ground as she approached the hissing animal, and had dodged the blast of fire that was directed at her head with ease, waving her hand over to the burning tree behind her even without looking, putting out the fire as she maintained her eye contact with the spirit in the form of an actual being, which was a relief from Gale's invisible form.

It seemed that her display of magic would always made the elemental spirits to take a certain interest at her, as the salamander had blinked confusedly, tilting it's head to a side as it watched her did the same. And it actually came out of the hole, out of curiosity, approaching her slowly and carefully, and she had held her hand out, offering it as a gesture of that she possessed no harm. A hiss and a tiny white cloud of vapor rose when the salamander's hand touched the tip of her finger, created from their opposing temperature, but it had only urged it to climb onto her palm, spreading heat on her skin as she tried to lower the temperature of her palms even more to provide herself comfort as she lifted the salamander up.

It found comfort in her coldness too, as it snuggled against her skin the forest fire behind her had receded until there was nothing to see, as if fire had never consumed them in the first place. Chuckling, as she found that no matter how dangerous it may have been earlier, this small thing on her hand was rather adorable if it was not spitting fire everywhere. Raising her hand, she had conjured a small snowfall, watching as the salamander stuck it's tongue out to catch a snowflake.

The voice called for her once again, it felt like it had not in a long time, and this time it was not just her whose head had perked up, but the spirit's as well. "You hear it too." She shouldn't be as surprised as she was right now, considering that the elemental spirits must have a connection to the voice anyway. "Somebody is calling us. Who is it? What do we do?"

As if to answer her question, one of the two anyway, the salamander had jumped off her hand, heading toward a rock before it stopped and looked at her, _inviting _her. She had to keep going north.

"Elsa!" A second body collided against her, pouncing onto her back as her sister's arms came to wrap around her body. "Oh, thank goodness!" She had turned around then, with her sister's hand coming to hold hers between them, eyes wide with relief. "Are you okay?"

"What were you doing?" She could not believe that the Princess had asked if _she _was alright, as she was the one who had been so reckless earlier. And the tone that she had used must have been unexpected for the strawberry blonde-haired Princess had her fingers slipping out of her grasp as she took a step backward, face falling. "You could have been killed! You can't just follow me into fire!"

The expression changed again, as now Anna's brows had furrowed deeply, jaw tightening as she glared at the older sister. "You don't want me to follow you into fire, then don't _run _into fire!" Shooting back, she had rarely ever seen her sister to angry before, especially not to her. Her anger had not been long lasting though, as the turquoise eyes had softened once more. "You're not being careful, Elsa."

She truly wasn't. she followed through with her raging emotions that drove her to chase after the fire spirit, all because she believed that her magic could protect her, could serve as a way for her to escape should it came that way. Sighing, she had nodded as her shoulders came into a slump. "I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I've been better."

Rustling of leaves had made both sisters turned their heads around even before the Queen had gotten a chance to comfort her younger sister, eyes catching the sight of the auburn-haired Prince coming to approach them, breathing in quick pants, as he held the softly whimpering child in his arms, no doubt terrified of the whole experience he had gone through. Coming to meet them, her eyes had met with her husband's in a silence question of their wellbeing, one that he had responded with a slight nod of confirmation as she took their son into her arms.

"Here," Anna had come behind her, offering their Mother's scarf that she had been carrying in her bag for her to wrap Wilhelm in, one that she received with a smile of gratitude. "He'll feel better with this."

"Where did you get that scarf?" The older woman had questioned, eyeing the fabric that was now wrapped around the young Prince, while she and the rest had stared back at her in confusion. A pair of young Northuldras had approached then, confirming that it was a Northuldra scarf, and that it came from one of their oldest families.

"It was our Mother's."

She had always had this scarf for as long as she could remember, had always worn it over her shoulders during the night to keep herself from the cold. She had found it amongst her Mother's belongings that was stored up a few years ago, when she had gone through it to sort things out, and had felt it held too much precious memory to toss out. But if what they claimed was true, if this scarf had belonged to a Northuldra, then-

Taking her sister's hand in hers, she had tugged her along, down the small pathway of the forest, passing the tall trees that now stood silent without burning fire consuming it, until they came back to where they had seen the ice sculptures that she had created from her earlier confrontation with the wind spirit.

The sculpture of their Father in his youth, saved by a girl that she had felt familiar of, she knew who she was. She had worn the same scarf that bore the same intricate design with the one that she had wrapped her son in, her ice had not missed a single detail of it. "I see it," that face, she should have realized this sooner, that similar face that she and Anna had both inherit. "It's Mother."

"Mother saved Father's life that day."

The voice he told he had heard, it was hers, it was their Mother's kind heart and selfless act that had saved him from the doom that would have befallen him should he was to stay in the Enchanted Forest that day. It was her who brought him back to Arendelle despite the fact that she would have to leave her own tribe.

"Our Mother was Northuldra."

Her husband came to stand by her side, a hand resting on her shoulder, but there was something off with it, as instead of holding her like he usually had done, his hand had felt heavy against her, as if he was _leaning _his weight on her. Turning her head to look at him, she had noted the paleness of his face, of the glistening of sweat that rolled down from his temples despite the coldness of the night that had befallen them. "Hans," she didn't want to alarm her son, whose aunt had thankfully moved to get him out of her arms after noticing that there was something wrong with the auburn-haired Prince as well, and she had placed a hand over his chest to steady him. "Is everything alright?"

He didn't answer her, his hand had merely come to hold hers that rested on his chest, brows furrowing before he had lost his footing, eyes rolling back as she suddenly found herself struggling under his dead weight, holding him upright the best she could and slowly failing as her muscles was unable to withstand him.

"Hans!"

* * *

How could she had missed this?

Running the damp cloth over his abdomen, she had to take a shaky deep breath whenever her eyes laid themselves on the sight of the ugly redness of the burned skin on the side of his torso, shutting them close for a moment as she attempted to calm herself down from shaking too much. He had been injured, somewhere during her foolish chase of the fire spirit he had been running and keeping their son safe without minding for his own, had the flames licking against his body, deep and hot enough that it could actually penetrated the layers of clothing he had been wearing, the clothes had now becoming a heap at one corner of the small hut the Northuldra had generously offered for her to use.

They had carried him back to their small village while she followed close by after telling Anna to keep Wilhelm away as to not frightened the boy further and the Princess had promised her that she would distract him while his mother tended to his father. She had been the one who undressed him, careful hands peeling off the jacket and the shirt he was wearing while she avoided the scar that laid there. She could not use her ice to fix him, as Yelena -the Northuldra's leader who had introduced herself rather quickly, had told her that the extreme difference in temperature would only damage his skin further, and had handed her a bowl of water and a cloth for her to use in cleaning his wound instead before she had left her alone with her husband.

"You are such a fool." Speaking through gritted teeth, she had glared at the man who had merely beginning to gain his consciousness back, as his hand moved to hold onto her inner thigh while she sat by his side on the bed, though her vision had started to blur from the tears she refused to let down. "Look what you have done to yourself. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

He was delirious from the pain he had been going through, though it had reduced after she had cleaned and cool it down with the clean water she used on him, because he had that stupid half smile tugging at the corner of his lips even after she had called him a fool. "You are so beautiful, Elsa." His fingers curled around her thigh, though even his grip was weak, and she had only glared back at him. "I'm sorry, darling." His eyes searched around the small space before they returned to hers. "Where's Wilhelm? How is he?"

"Outside, with Anna. He's fine, just a little shaken up."

She moved to dry his wound, watching carefully whenever he had let out a wince, noticing even when he had tried to mask it away from her. Dressing it gently to avoid pressure on the wound, she could not help the satisfied sigh that came from her after seeing her handiwork. It was not the best, but better than she had expected herself to be capable of.

"Elsa," his hand moved to hold her hand, just after she had set her equipment down, using it to pull her closer to him until she was leaning down, faces merely inches apart until she could feel his hot breath against her skin.

"Elsa!" the abruptness of the call had made her pulling away as quickly as she could, head whipping toward the entrance where Olaf had let himself through. Hans had groaned, rather out of frustration than pain, and yet it seemed that the snowman had completely being oblivious to it. "Anna said I should get you, she said Wilhelm is being fussy again."

Nodding as she thanked her snow creation, she had watched him waddling back out before turning to her husband as she stood up from the simple bed, dusting her jacket of any sort of dirt that may have stuck. "Duty calls."

"Go be the great Mama that you are." Hans smiled, just as she leaned down to give him a quick kiss on the lips, promising him that she would come back soon and telling him that he should take as much rest as he could. "I'll be here."

When she had exited from the hut, her eyes faced no difficulty in finding her son, who was whining in his aunt's arms, a sight that was so rare since he usually found the strawberry blonde-haired Princess to be almost as comforting as his own mother. "What's wrong, my poor little Prince?" the drastic change of surrounding must have made him quite uncomfortable as she took him, freeing her sister from the assault of kicking feet and clenched fists of a toddler. "Come, let's sit by the fire."

Honeymaren was sitting there, with a baby reindeer resting it's head on her lap, and she had smiled when the platinum blonde haired Queen had joined her on the ground. "He's a handsome boy, your son."

"He is." Smiling, she had placed the young Prince to sit on her lap, holding him back as he had move to lean toward the crackling fire, running the tip of her finger gently across the bridge of his nose before giving a 'boop' at the tip of it. "Just like his father."

A comfortable silence fell over them, though not for long as Honeymaren's dark eyes had drifted back toward the scarf around the boy. "I'm going to show you something. May I?" she had gestured for the scarf, and seeing that Wilhelm had not seem to mind the young lady, she had nodded, letting her take one of the corners as she held the design on it on her palm. "You know air, fire, water, and earth." The four spirits that was told in her Father's tale, she had met the first two. "But look," finger pointing toward the middle of the four designs, she was brought to pay attention to the singular diamond shape. "There's a fifth spirit. Said to be a bridge between us and the magic of nature."

"A fifth spirit." She had never heard of this before, of the mysterious form that said to have called out the day before the forest was covered in the powerful mist. What would this mean? "Do you think that's who's calling me?" It would give her some sort of an explanation, as up until now no one had any idea whose voice she and Wilhelm had been hearing, none of the Northuldra nor the four spirits had the ability to call for her to come here.

"Maybe. Alas, only Ahtohallan knows."

The ground beneath them shook, even before she could say anything, as Wilhelm had pressed his back against her chest further as she held him closer, continuing in a slow but sure rhythm.

"Earth giants." Honeymaren's low hiss had been an answer to her silent question, as her hand motioned for her to stay quiet before she moved to get the bucket of water nearby, pouring the content to dissipate of the fire they had used to keep warm as she rose up to her feet. The other Northuldra moved to close the doors of their huts, dismissing of any source of light. "Hide."

Her back pressed against a tree, not her best form of hiding place but considering that it was the nearest thing that she could reached for she couldn't really complain much, holding her son close with his back against her chest still, propping him up with one arm while the other wrapped around his body.

The shake had only increased as the giants had come closer, and though she knew it was a foolish thing to do she had dared herself to look over the tree, curiosity had gotten the best of her as she wanted to see for herself of how the earth spirit had taken it's form. And it was literally gigantic, towering past the trees, almost as high as Arendelle's highest tower, dark and looming under the night sky.

"Mama…"

She had moved back around as fast as she could just as the giant had come into a stop, it's head snapped and turned toward her direction after hearing Wilhelm's sudden whimper, hand pressing against her son's mouth to prevent him from making further noises as her heart raced against her chest, placing her head on top of his as she shut her eyes. Why now, why during the time where they had to be quiet, that Wilhelm had decided to make a noise? She couldn't blame him much, as he must have just felt how fearful she was, and that was what had prompted to take a deep breath to try and calm herself down, because if he felt her calming down then he would to.

Thankfully the ground had started to shake once more, as the giant continued it's journey, slowly disappearing as it walked further away from the village. Believing that it was safe for her to come out, she had started to follow the path to where they were going, but a hand had grabbed her arm, tugging her down as her sister glared at her. "Please tell me you were not about to follow them."

"What if I can settle them, like I did with wind and fire?"

"_Or, _what if they can crush you before you even get the chance?" Anna retorted with a sharp whisper, eyes glancing down at her nephew before she had shaken her head disapprovingly at her older sister. "And were you honestly planning on bringing Wilhelm along, after he had proven to not being able to stay silent?"

She was right. She couldn't bring Wilhelm along, not anymore, and not because he couldn't stay silent but because she had literally put him in too much danger in a matter of a day. What kind of a mother she was, to let her toddler son to be tangled in such endangering quest that had put him in harm's way.

"The giants sensed _me_, they may come back again." Her presence had lured them there, to come down from the north, away from where they usually lurked during the night. "I don't want to put anyone at risk again. We have to go, Anna."

"What about Hans?"

He was injured, he could not continue on, she didn't _want _him to continue on, not after what he had endured. Taking a deep breath, she had turned to look at her younger sister with a sad smile. "Wait for me."

Making her way toward the hut where he had rested, she had found him sleeping, as apparently the giant's thunderous footsteps could not wake him. Sitting down, she had brushed the fallen hair out of his face with such gentle touch before she had leaned down and press a light kiss on his lips. "I'm sorry, darling." Repeating his own words for him, she had straightened herself back up as she turned her attention at her son, giving him a similar kiss on his forehead. "Be a good boy, Wilhelm, stay here with your Papa, alright? Mama will make this right and then we can go home."

For once in his life, Wilhelm had not protested when she had set him down by his father's healthy side, cradled in his arm as she created a diamond shaped ice crystal for him to hold. She had learned, a long time ago, that her son was not affected by the cold at all, much like she, though he had truly did not inherit her ability to create ice magic. This crystal would serve as a matter of reminder of her for him, just until she returned, and if something was to happen to her… Hans would understand.

When she had exited once more, she was taken by surprise to see her sister standing with only Olaf at her side, and when asked of the whereabout of Kristoff and Sven she had merely shook her head as she had no idea of their whereabouts.

But they did not have much time to wait around for them. If the sun had risen before they were gone, Hans may have woken up and insisted on joining with them, no matter what she would tell him.

Thus, it was only the three of them that journeyed north.

**Now, don't hate me on leaving the boys behind, okay? But writing a large group of people is hard when you don't want to make people feel as I'm ignoring most of them. Also, Elsa is being reasonable because the journey ahead is even more dangerous.**


	8. A Different Path

**Hello, Happy New Year! I would like to firstly apologize for the lack of updates, but I found myself stuck in writing this chapter, other than that I actually did have to work during New Year, so that's that.**

**Anyway, I'm a little dusty in terms of writing from Hans' POV, so forgive me about that too.**

She didn't think it would be now that she asked.

Making their way through the woods, she could already see the start of the rising sun at the horizon, feeling the stream of warm sunlight coming through the tall trees as wind blew softly against their skins, the rustling of leaves as the only sound except the crunching of their boots against the ground. She may not be an expert like her husband was when it came into finding her direction, but she had learned a thing or two throughout the duration of their marriage, and she was confident enough in knowing that they were correctly heading north.

There was no denying to the fact that she had kept on thinking about those she had left behind, but what choice did she have? Wilhelm was her son, the only one that she had, and after everything that they had faced and the possibilities of things that will come their way soon she could no longer involve him in this. He had heard of the call just like she, but if her theory back when she had heard of it that night, then staying away from Wilhelm will drive the voice away from him as well, he would be unbothered. She had never wanted to say that Hans getting hurt was a good thing, but it did give her a reason to have him staying back too, for his own sake and for Wilhelm's as well.

If anything was to happen, then she did not want her son to be orphaned, it was better if he still had his father with him even when she was to…

Shaking her head, as to dismiss the thought that had sent a chill down her spine, she had turned to look over her shoulder at her strangely quiet sister. It was so unlike for her to not fill her ears with her constant ramblings, as Anna was known to sometimes unable to stop with her talking, yet now she was merely walking behind her silently while Olaf had wandered off a little behind yet had promised that he was still following them. But she didn't wish to press on, as she perhaps was deep in her own thoughts just like she was, leaving her to decide whether she wanted to share what was on her mind or not.

"Do you think it's possible, Elsa?"

There. An opening to her train of thoughts, though she couldn't quite figure out what it was she truly wished to speak about just yet, leaving the topic hanging thickly in the air for the older to catch up on. "What of?"

"Marriage between me and Kristoff."

She had expected many things to be questioned, even this one had crossed her mind once or twice ever since Anna had been romantically involved with the Ice Harvester, but to have her voicing it out to her had still driven her into state of shock as she took a moment to slow down until she could match her sister's pace, clearing her throat. "I didn't realize you are considering that already."

Yes, Anna and Kristoff had known each other close to two years' time now, though she had no idea when exactly their friendship had turned into something more, and Anna had reached the age of twenty-two, no longer a child nor the younger sister that needed her protection at all times, could decided her course of life by herself, and yet still the prospect of her being married, to no longer lived under her responsibility as she would create a family of her own, still sit a little uncomfortably in her mind and heart.

Heat quickly crawled up the Princess' neck as she looked at her sister with wide eyes. "No, no! Just asking out of… curiosity." Adverting her gaze away from the Queen, Anna had fiddled with the hem of her coat. "With the Council's strict law and all-"

_A Princess should not marry a commoner._

She had worked tirelessly in convincing the Council that Kristoff was a good man, no matter how low he may be in the social scale when compared to the royal family, and even had better manner than some of the nobilities that she had encountered. She would not have Anna be wed with a duke who had laid his hand on the Queen's shoulder despite the clear display of discomfort she had given him, or one who had taken pride in fathering many bastards in his own kingdom.

Yet social regulation had been their greatest obstacle, as the low ranking should not ever propose to someone higher, a rule that still made her shudder with disgust. Even a Queen could hardly do anything about it.

Taking her younger sister's hand in hers had prompted the strawberry-blonde haired Princess to look up just as she gave her a reassuring smile. "I'll find a way, Anna." Whatever it may be and however the thought felt for her, she would do her best for her younger sister. She could find a way, one that would benefit them without breaking ancient law. A loophole.

There was something that crossed over the turquoise of her eyes, as Anna nodded, squeezing against her hold. "Thank you."

Continuing on, the Princess was still mostly quiet during their journey, though now she could see that some of the weight had definitely been lifted off her shoulders by seeing how much lighter she had walked now, yet still she had slowed herself back down until she walked a few steps behind, allowing the older sister to lead at the front.

The once lush and colorful forest had slowly decreased itself as they headed farther north, the ground beneath them had changed from dried leaves and prospering soil into rocky dirt and yellowing grass, dying trees losing their leaves until the only thing left of them were their still standing yet blackened trunks, larger rocks scattered around them, the colors had been drained until their surroundings turned almost gray.

It was almost depressing, this part of the forest.

"Has the voice been calling for you again?"

The question came from behind her, voiced by her younger sister who no doubt had felt the same gloom that blanketed the atmosphere, and she had shaken her head for an answer. It had been quiet, _too quiet_, that her earlier confidence about being correct in her direction was starting to waver. If they were drawing close then surely she would hear of the voices once more, perhaps even louder, just to confirm that she was right on track instead of going in circles.

_Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear._

She had been listening, how could she not when nothing could even block it out of her ears anyway, ringing in her ears tirelessly as it drove her into coming all the way here, bringing her family along with a sole goal of returning Arendelle back into it's safe state. Yet when she _wanted _to hear that voice, seeking guidance or at least clues left behind for her to gather, it was quiet.

Looking up at the gray sky hanging dully above her, she had taken a deep breath as she closed her eyes, trying her best to focus as she recalled of everything that has happened the past days, to find something she may have missed.

She was lost in this journey, having no idea what exactly she was supposed to do scared her, for she had people waiting for her to return, to restore the kingdom and to free the forest once and for all. Feeling her power surging within her like a horse that had gone wild did not help either, for she had to clenched her hands to keep her magic at bay while she continued on. The constant and large use of it yesterday when she had defended herself and the others from the raging spirits had exhausted her, though she had not dared said a word to anyone.

There was no time for her to sit around and cry, to show how burdened she actually was with everyone's life weighted on her shoulders, their hopes and their trust on her.

Her mother was Northuldra, this forest was her place growing up, she was familiar with it, had lived alongside the spirits before she had left for Arendelle with the boy that would become her husband later in life. This had suddenly made her feel like her mother was a stranger to her, in a way.

Her whole life she had thought that her mother was a mere commoner girl who had caught the attention and later the heart of the Arendellian Prince, a simple village girl that has no relation to an ancient forest where elemental spirits and magic lies within.

But she was her mother still, right?

She had been the one who taught her of the things she knew now, of how to be good and how to govern the land with kindness in her heart, she was the mother who held her close and sung lullabies for her to sleep, who told her of stories with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Gale's back!"

The interruption had drawn her out of her deep thoughts, as the wind spirit circled and blew it's way around her, whistling as it passed her. It was trying to tell her something, she was sure of it, as her eyes followed the direction it was heading, only to widened at the sight it had led her to.

Arendelle's royal flag.

* * *

"Princess Anna of Arendelle. My feisty, fearless, ginger, sweet love. Will you marry me?"

Morning sun streaming through the slightly opened door had assaulted his eyes and dragged him out of his deep slumber, bright and warm as he let out a quiet groan and had pulled his arm to cover his face, though the movement had only sent a jolt of pain from his side that had him begrudgingly waking up to stare at the unfamiliar ceiling above him as his brain slowly attempted to process what had occurred the night before.

When he had successfully recalled everything though, his first instinct was to sit up, slower than he would have liked as he was being careful of his injury, to assess the situation he was in. He was half-dressed, with only the dressing his wife had did the night before over his wound to cover part of his torso while his pants had thankfully remained intact.

Speaking of, he was quite surprised in finding himself lacking his wife's presence at the other side of the simple bed, there was only their son, lying down as he played with an ice crystal in his hand -undoubtedly had been his mother's creation to keep him occupied, though he had looked in quite discomfort, as his lips were pulled into a line and his brows furrowed, pulling a face he recognized as one where he had not been fed yet.

It had been what prompted him to come outside, Wilhelm propped up on his healthy side, pulling on a Northuldra's clothing after he found his own clothes had been reduced into a useless heap after it was partially burned off, venturing around as he looked for the striking platinum blonde hair that only Elsa had.

He did not expect to find Kristoff being as ridiculous as to propose to _him_.

The fog in the forest had been a little thicker than usual, he would admit that, and it may have been the reason why the mountain man had taken the whole situation wrongly, but did he really just mistaken him -who undoubted had zero similarities in term of build and figure, with the Princess?

"Uh, no." Staring at the blonde man with raised eyebrow, he had not even given any proper attention to Wilhelm who had giggled gleefully as he tried to reach for the falling dried leaf that had landed in his father's hair. "Kristoff, what are you-?"

He had not even gotten the chance to finish his sentence as another rustling sound had come behind his back. "Gentlemen, I am here to inform you that-" Yelena had paused then, brows knitted as brown eyes glanced from the ring Kristoff was holding before coming toward the auburn-haired Prince. "Have I stepped in the wrong moment?"

"What? No!" However ridiculous the situation had been could only got worse now that the leader of the Northuldra had even thought of such absurd thing that had happened between the two men as Kristoff had finally came down from the two stones he had been standing on, putting away the ring back in the pocket of his clothes. "What is it you were telling us?"

"Ah yes, we are heading west, to the meadows, you can come with us if you want."

The offer had come strangely, as neither of them had truly been part of the Northuldra tribe, coming with them had meant that they were to stray from their original purpose of coming here. "Have you seen Elsa?" If someone was to know of her whereabout it would be Yelena.

Her eyes had glanced at him, with a moment of confusion, before she had regained herself. "The Queen left with the Princess."

He could not believe his ears.

He could not believe that Elsa would actually _leave _without him nor Wilhelm, had only taken her younger sister and Olaf -who he just knew would be following them, without even the thought of taking the actual two men that were far more capable in defending them should something was to happen. She had left him without a word, no communication between the two of them, no discussion, had just simply left their son alone with him so that she could continue on.

Moments where his wife's attics had irritated him had been there in their marriage life, especially with her headstrong personality and her carelessness in minding for her own wellbeing, but never once did he ever felt such _anger _bubbling inside of him for the decision she had taken.

Turning at the older woman, he had shifted his hold on the boy on his hips so that he sat more comfortably even with only one arm supporting him. "Do you know where they were heading?"

"North. But I wouldn't try to follow, they were long gone."

After that, she had excused herself, with Ryder -whose presence he had barely acknowledge for he had been so quiet through the whole ordeal, following close behind, claiming that he had to go and pack for their move.

"Are you okay?" Kristoff had approached, one hand coming to rest on his shoulder, his question answered by the mere nod of his head. "Look, you should probably join the Northuldra, for Wilhelm's sake."

Turning to look at the boy in his embrace, a part of him must agree with the man, as seeing his son and all the danger they had gone through, of the ones that even he could not completely dodge from, the journey had taken such a dangerous turn, one Wilhelm should not be involved in, as the sense of protectiveness flared within him. But there was another part of him, fighting an internal battle in his mind, that urged him to find his wife, to be there by her side, just like how he had promised her.

"You're right, I should." He had started to walk back toward the village when he had noticed that Kristoff's footsteps did not follow, prompting him to stop and turned to look over his shoulder, seeing the blonde man patting his reindeer with a solemn look on his face. Poor guy. "Are you not coming?"

It seemed that his question had been unexpected, as the mountain man had looked up in surprise, before he had started to shake his head. "I'll… I'll meet you there."

He didn't want to press on, thus why he had merely nodded and continued on, following the dirt pathway until he could hear the sound of the people once more. Though his steps were once again stopped when Wilhelm had let out a whine, eyes teary as his fist clenched around the fabric of his father's clothing.

"Mama, Mama!"

"She's," _somewhere out there_. Far away from them, seeking the truth by herself, straying away from her own family without a word. "She will be back soon, Wilhelm." But it was merely an empty promise, one hopeful wish that even he could not tell would come true or not, and the young boy had taken none of it as his cries had only intensified.

He had to find a way to calm the boy down, to comfort him during his moment of need, his heart had ached at the sight of the wailing child as he was unable to give him what he desperately wanted.

_"Where the north wind, meets the sea." _The song had never been sung by him -he had barely ever sung in the first place, but the melody and the words were familiar to him nonetheless as he had countlessly found himself listening to Elsa's singing as she lulled their son to sleep, and it had been the only choice of action that he could take as his hand began patting Wilhelm's back soothingly. _"There's a river full of memory."_

The cries had slowly decreased, as he continued on without minding much of the people that may hear him, for his only focus had been of his son and his son only, who now had clung against him, calming down from the brink of tantrum he was about to throw. Wilhelm knew of this song, he grew up with it, grew up with his mother's voice, and the song alone was able to bring peace for him.

_"Dive down deep into her sound," _there were merely muffled sniffles now, as the boy had buried his face against his father's shoulder after he had handed him the ice crystal back for him to hold close to his chest.

_"But not too far or you'll be drowned."_

The voice coming behind his back had startled him, yet thankfully had not been enough to make him actually jumped, as he turned to see Honeymaren standing there, with a frown deep on her face as she stared back at him, almost suspiciously. "How did you know that song?"

He was supposed to be the one who asked _her _how she had known the song too, for he had never heard of anyone else sung it before. "It's Elsa's lullaby." She had then corrected him that it was _Northuldra's _lullaby, passed down for generations, though he had failed to be surprised at it, not after finding out that mother in-law had been a Northuldra as well. "Does it mean something?" the words that they had used, it was speaking of something, telling a story he did not know.

"Ahtohallan."

"Ahto-who-what?"

His misspell had made the Northuldra girl narrowed her eyes, perhaps a little offended, but on his defense it was the first time he had ever heard of the name anyway. "There is a special river called Ahtohallan. They said it holds all the answers about the past, about what we are part of."

Elsa seek of the past, the answers that may able to lift the curse and free Arendelle. This place, this magical river, could be the key they were looking for. "Do you think that's where she's going?"

Shoulders lifting in a shrug, she had handed him the staff she had been carrying, one he recognized to be her choice of weapon during their first meeting. "Wherever you decided to go, I think you will need this more than I do."

She had never truly said anything, but now he knew where he was going.


	9. A Past Revealed

She felt as if her heart was about to burst out of her chest.

Blue eyes had locked with the tattered Arendelle's royal flag as her feet brought her running up the low hill, pebbles crunching under the sole of her feet as she stumbled forward, heart racing so quickly against her ribcage as many thoughts swirled in her mind. The moment she had reached the top of the hill, she had almost regretted to ever climb, for the sight before her had taken every word from her mouth, rendering herself speechless while she felt her sister's arms coming to hold onto hers as she seek for support after the shock had made her stumbled backward, fingers curling tight around her upper arm as she let out a shaky gasp.

"How can it be?"

They both recognized the ship, or what was left of it after years of rotting under the salt water before it had washed up ashore in the Enchanted Forest, distant memories brought back as they stared at the tattered sails, the fading colors of the Arendelle's royal crocus on every flag bearing the seal, the holes all around the wooden body of the once mighty and strong vessel.

"What is it?" Olaf wouldn't know, she would not blame him for asking such question, but there was a heavy lump in her throat that had prevented her from answering, the words refusing to be spoken. But Anna had answered, her voice barely above whisper, as her hold against hers had only increased in tightness as she too felt the pain that came from it.

_Mother and Father's ship._

She had watched them, up from her window after she had met them at the foot of the staircase -curtsying as her form of goodbye as she had feared any sort of human contact from anyone even her parents, seeing their ship sailed across the calm waters of the fjord and out into the ocean, disappearing at the horizon along with the setting of the sun.

Anna had watched them, down at the docks after she had given them a warm hug in their bedchamber -telling them that she would see them soon in two weeks' time when they would have returned, waving from the very edge of the wooden walkway until their faces could no longer be seen as they sailed further away from her.

Each of them had seen their parents for the last time then, had watched the both of them sailing away with the thought that they would return back soon after they had finished with their business, that their lives would only be just as it always was, where Anna would spend her time wandering the castle's halls while the older sister remained within her bedchamber, practicing her magic under the watchful and encouraging eyes of her parents.

"But this isn't the Southern Seas."

Her breath had picked up then, had now becoming short and quick pants as her younger sister had confirmed to the snowman that no, this was not the Southern Seas indeed. They had lied to her, had lied to _both _of them. Now that she had thought about it, even though her memories had been a blur, she had remembered the way Mother had smiled at her with a hint of sadness in it. She had once thought that it was due to how she had refused to be touched then, even when the Queen's hand had been raised halfway toward her cheek, had adverted her face away as she firmly told her _no_.

Something tugged against her heart, pushing her to run down the hill, racing toward the ship as her arm freed itself from her sister's grip, prompting the strawberry blonde-haired Princess to run down after her. She had paused, if only briefly, in front of the gaping hole of the ship's body, so large that it must have been one of the main entrances for the water to come in and bring the ship down, before she had dared herself to come in.

The inside of it had been as horrible as the outside.

Her boots sunk into the thin layer of mud constricted of soil and pebbles mixed with water as she made her way further in, looking into the once beautiful ship that had now been ruined with time and abandonment, hearing the creaking sound of old wooden that told her that over time, this ship would not even stand like this anymore.

Why would the ship be here in the first place anyway? _How _could it be here?

"It must have been washed in from the Dark Sea."

"What were they doing in the Dark Sea?" There were tales of it, of how notoriously treacherous it was that no one would dare cross it but those who were willing to die, to sink down under the monstrous waves into the dark waters that knew no bound. Hans had even told her, once, that some sailors believed that the sea was guarded by a being that had been the cause of every incident that happened, but no one had known for sure, for there had never been anyone who lived to tell the tales.

"How did the ship get through the mist?" She had not thought about it before, had been too shaken up to even question it, but Olaf's innocent wonder at the fact had brought a light onto the realization. "I thought nobody could but us. Unless-"

Nobody was on it.

She didn't know which one was worse; for her parents' bodies along with every ship crew that had gone with them to be lost in the depth of the sea where no one could ever recover them for a proper burial or for them to be found here, as nothing but skeletons that would haunt her forever, but will be able to be brought back home.

Her stomach had started to twist, bile rising up her throat as grief had beginning to overwhelm her. Fiddling with her own hands, feeling the magic swirling right under her skin as she attempted to take calming breaths, but had only managed shaky ones instead as she watched Anna coming toward her, placing a hand on her arm as she spoke of something, though in the midst of her own growing panic attack she had not been able to register her words.

But then the Princess' hand had slipped off, no longer holding her, as she turned and began to walk around the place, as if looking for something, speaking of a command that she had only partially heard but understood nonetheless. "-Every Arendellian ship has a compartment, waterproof."

It was where they would store important papers, like maps or any sort of document that had to be kept safe at all times, a hidden compartment that had been built into their kingdom's ships for decades. Nordlys had one too, stored in the captain's cabin, though that ship had been one of the newest models, a merge between Arendelle's style and the Southern Isles' as Hans had been the one who looked over the creation to make a better vessel for the Queen, and it's layout was different from this one.

Her body was trembling, if only slightly, yet she had pushed herself into moving, pulling against the small doors of the cupboards she came across it, trying her best to try and find a place where the said compartment that Anna had mentioned could be, though her movement had been far slower if compared to the younger woman, whose hands skillfully ran across the surface in search of a hidden switch.

"Here!"

Anna had already opened the metal tube when she had come to kneel by her side -feeling the dampened wooden floor against the fabric of her pants as she did so, pulling out the two rolls of parchment that had been the only things that were saved from the whole wrecked ship, undamaged by the cold salt water, unrolling the first shorter one to reveal a language that neither understood.

Her eyes caught the delicate wordings at the corner of the parchment when the younger sister still had her attention in trying to figure out what the symbols had meant, fingers cautiously holding onto the edge as she moved it to better see it. "Mother's handwriting." She had recognized it almost instantly, as she had seen the way her mother had curved her alphabets when she wrote, the distinct pull at the ink was unmistakable.

_The end of the ice age,_

_the river found but lost._

_Magic source._

_Elsa's source?_

The mention of her name had her practically grabbing the parchment out of her sister's grasp, as she scanned her eyes over her mother's writing over and over again. She translated it, the language that was perhaps older than the one that they spoke, she had a certain understanding to this as she had written the note for others to read. Her source… Had that mean that they were talking of her magic's source? The one that had caused her to be born with powers that no one else possessed? Or were they talking about her as if she was some sort of an abomination? A being that was not supposed to be here, was not supposed to exist within this world?

The Princess had apparently unrolled the second parchment, not entirely but enough to reveal that it was a map that was brought aboard. Lying it down against the surface before them, Arendelle was the first thing that had caught her attention, of the small drawing of the castle by the name written, before both of them had followed the path drawn by black ink. "They traveled north," as oppose to where they _said _they were going, "and planned to cross the Dark Sea to-"

"Ahtohallan."

It was real.

At least, real enough for their parents to believe in it, enough to make them risk their own lives in search of it despite the consequences that they knew would have to be faced by attempting to cross the Dark Sea.

But why would they even try to go to Ahtohallan? What were they doing? What they were seeking until they had to head for the ancient river -that not even the Northuldra knew whether it was real or not, that held all the memories of the past? What were they-

_Elsa's source._

Her stomach had twisted once again, far more painful this time, as she hurried in getting back up onto her feet, turning as she ran out of the wreckage despite Anna's call for her name as now the place felt like it was haunting her and weighted her down, stumbling as her vision blurred with the tears that gathered in her eyes until she had somehow found a rock to lean on as it had been too overwhelming for her to even stand on her own, not with the pain that sliced and tightened around her heart, making her chest ache.

"Elsa…"

She had cried, her walls unable to hold back the emotions that had suddenly raged within herself, lips trembling as she felt her sister's hold against her, feeling her own heart's heaviness as she wrapped her arms around the older sister before matching sobs could be heard from the Princess, although hers had been quieter.

"This is my fault." It had always been, from the moment of the incident that had endangered Anna's life, it had seemed that everything that she did, every single action and decision that she took, had only led her into spiraling down into the dark abyss of wrongness. "They were looking for answers about me." About why their eldest daughter had been born different, had been born with coldness in her veins, of why she had possessed magic that had caused nothing but destruction and pain.

Anna's hold tightened around her, her warmth that had usually able to calm her the way Hans and Wilhelm did was barely even comforting at the moment, unable to fight off the gnawing darkness that grew in her mind. "You are not responsible for their choices, Elsa." It had come in nothing but murmurs against her jacket, as she felt herself sinking down onto her knees, the younger following along.

"No, just their death!" If it had not been for her, if she had been born as a normal child that could get cold and required thick clothing during the winter, one that did not need to wear touching others because she could freeze them with a mere touch of her skin, then Anna would still have her beloved parents, she would still being able to feel the warmth of their embrace, instead she had a sister who could not keep her away from the cold because the cold was _her. _"I _caused _this, Anna, whether directly or not!"

Something changed within the Princess, for something that she said had caused the younger sister to unwrap her arms from her, had taken hold of her upper arms instead as she made her turn to look at her. "Elsa, no, don't do this to yourself." Fingers curling tightly when she had adverted her gaze away until she had to look back into her turquoise eyes. "You need to stop blaming yourself over things that are out of your control and start to see yourself the way I see you, the way _everyone _else sees you."

"And how did you see me, Anna?"

"A fair Queen who rules with kindness in her heart, a loving sister that had done so much for me that I could never thank you enough," a hand reached up, tucking a strand of platinum blonde hair that had strayed out of the braid behind her ear as the Princess' eyes softened. "A wife and a mother who would do anything for her family, would sacrifice herself for the safety of others. You are a gift to us all, Elsa. It's us who are blessed with _you_." Fresh tears had beginning to fill her eyes and yet this time, her heart had not felt so heavy, had felt as if it had been slowly released out of the tight clutch it was in earlier. "And your magic is a part of you, one we all have accepted for the longest of time even before you accepted it yourself. If anyone can resolve the past, if anyone can save Arendelle and free this forest, it's you. I believe in you, Elsa, more than anyone or anything."

Save the kingdom, that was what she was supposed to focus on. Wiping her eyes, she had nodded at her younger sister as she had taken a deep breath to calm herself. "Honeymaren said that there was a fifth spirit. A bridge between the magic of nature and us."

"A fifth spirit?" Nodding, she understood the Princess' confusion over the new information, as she too had not expected that there was to be a fifth spirit that they would have to meet, there was none in their father's tale and there had been no stone nor symbol of it. But Anna had faced many wonders before, enough to make her not question this one more than necessary. "So, where are we going now?"

Ahtohallan. But it was never going to be 'we'.

She had to cross the Dark Sea, the one sea that has taken perhaps more lives than the other seas that she had known, the one that had taken the lives of their parents; it would have been far too dangerous for the both of them to go, but she had her powers so she had a better chance than the Princess would ever have.

"Elsa," Her silence had prompted Anna to take her hand once more, tugging against it to turn her attention back at her, turquoise eyes searching through blue ones for answers. "Where are we going?" She repeated, though still she had remained silent, refusing to give the Princess any idea of where she was going _by herself_. "You are not planning on leaving _me_, are you?"

"It's too dangerous, Anna." If she could protect her sister the way she had protected both Hans and Wilhelm, then she would do it, she would not even hesitate in such decision. "You said you believe in me, right? I can make this right."

"But I don't want you dying trying to be everything for everyone else!" Her hold had tightened around her hand, preventing her to go. "Think of what Hans would feel, how Wilhelm would feel! He's your son, Elsa, you can't do this to him." But she was ready to do anything in her power for him, this was exactly what she had to do as his mother, to give him the life that he deserved. "And I can't lose my sister, please."

The raw emotion that the younger sister had poured in every word that she had spoken had prompted her to come and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her in a tight embrace. "I can't lose you either, Anna." She was her responsibility, ever since she was born, ever since their parents had passed away, Anna had always been her responsibility to care and protect. But she had Kristoff now, she had Hans and Wilhelm as the family that she had been craving for years. Out of the corner of her eye she had seen Olaf, watching them wordlessly, no doubt having been listening to their exchange. "Come here." The snowman had waddled toward them, hugging the younger sister's leg after the Queen had called for him, and she could feel Anna relaxing in her hold.

Releasing her hold, the relieved smile on her younger sister's face had the corners of her lips to tug into a small smile as well. She knew she had to do this.

"I'm so sorry for this, Anna. And for every moment after."

"Wait, what?" Her magic had silently yet effectively grown under Anna's boots -as well as Olaf's feet, coming from both of her hands that had now cloaked in a thin mist of icy cold air, as it grew into a small ice boat just big enough to fit the both of them. "What are you doing?!" The strawberry blonde-haired Princess had stumbled and fell back as she stomped her foot against the ground, creating an ice path for the boat to slide on, calling out for her name as she moved farther away.

The path would take her back to the Northuldra's village, where she would be safe, and even if she had decided to go back into chasing her, she would have been long gone then.

Besides, Anna was right. She would sacrifice herself for the safety of others.


	10. The Call for Both

"You can leave tomorrow, from the meadows."

But he could not wait for another day, could not sit around with the knowledge that his wife was out there, each step that she took bringing her further away from him and their son, taking more foolish decisions that he could have talked her out of it should he was there by her side. And she had only her sister and a snowman as her company, to defend her from other beings that may lurked in the depth of the forest. Yes, she was an independent woman, a strong one too even without her ability to wield magic, but he had vowed to be there for her nonetheless, had promised himself that she was his responsibility and his other half, for them to grow apart like so had made his heart ache.

What was it that she was thinking anyway? That he was not capable of joining her now that he was injured? Had she truly thought so weakly of him? Had he not fought numerous battles with pirates where one of their main intentions was to actually _kill _him, to bury the blade of their swords deep within the Prince's body until he was rendered lifeless before they tossed his body overboard into the ocean down below?

Besides -even when he did appreciate Ryder's kind offer, the meadows that the Northuldra was heading to was at the west, while Elsa was heading north, and he had no intention to go in circles.

"Your mother, God forsaken me," looking up to see his son sitting on the simple bed, he had been a little thankful that Elsa did created the ice crystal for Wilhelm with rounded and safe edges, for now the boy had been suckling on it for the hundredth of times despite his best attempt to stop him and had drove him to the point of actually giving up. "I love your mother, Wilhelm, I truly do with all that I am, but she can be such a careless woman at times."

An injury like this could not hold him back.

Casting his eyes downward once again, he had returned his focus on re-dressing his wound as he stood in the middle of the hut. His hands were not as gentle as the Queen's had been when she wrapped it for the first time, but he could honestly care less, not when he had to leave as soon as he possibly could, and that had drove him into working a little hastily. As long as it was taken care of, he didn't care.

"Prince Hans, I—Oh my goodness!"

He was as startled as his intruder, as he had whipped around to see the young woman standing by the doorway, back turned toward him and face turned upward as he could see the tips of her ears turning red. "Honeymaren!" he had been so deep in thought that he must have not heard the opening of the door, so he was at fault too, to a certain degree. Quickly slipping the Northuldra's clothing over himself, he had only called for her and confirm that he was now properly dressed after he had straightened up. "What is it?"

The Northuldra girl had turned back around to face him, a hint of flush was still present on her face, though she had cleared her throat as she composed herself. "I've warmed up the soup for Wilhelm," her dark eyes glanced past his body to the little boy who had started to babble once more, a small smile tugged on her face, though only for a moment before she had turned her attention back at him. "He needs to eat first before going, yes?"

As hostile as the tribe had been during their first encounter, he was thankful that they had shown kindness toward not just Elsa and Anna -whose mother was Northuldra and thus made them a part of the people of the sun, but to the rest of them as well. What he was most glad of was the fact that Wilhelm had actually found himself comfortable enough with them that he had not refused their attempt at helping the father with caring for him.

Softening, he had given her a small graceful smile. "Yes, thank you."

Honeymaren had nodded then, standing around a little longer, unsure of what to do, before she had turned and exited without much of a word mustered. Her attics had been rather odd, but it may have come from the shock of finding him half-dressed earlier. The interruption had decreased his initial bubbling emotions, as he turned to find the young boy had lifted both of his hands at his direction, palm clenching and then unclenching repeatedly.

"Up, up!"

Complying to his son's wishes, he had lifted him back up into his embrace, letting him perched against his hip on the healthier side of him, never once forgetting to give him the ice crystal he had been so attached to before he had made his way out as well.

He was no stranger in caring for Wilhelm, he was his son as much as he was Elsa's, and he had no desire in coming to such low level of parenting the way some of his brothers did by basically dumping all responsibility over to their wives and the nannies -he pitied his nieces and nephews that had been fathered by them, he had made a promise to be a father that was worth for his son, and had learned just as much as his wife in term of fulfilling for his need.

"Though I must admit," he lamented as he took another spoonful of soup from the wooden bowl in his hand, blowing against the piping hot food before offering it to the young Prince, who had basically leaned forward in his eagerness to eat. "Giving you milk can only be done by your mother." Wilhelm gave a babble at that, as if he was agreeing to his father's words, before his mouth became full and his attention was driven back to the ice crystal in hand.

By the time the preparation he did for himself -and most importantly his son, had finished, most of the Northuldra had gone ahead to head for the meadows, leaving only a few of them, including both Ryder and Honeymaren whose duty was to lead the herd of reindeers that they breed. He could not find Kristoff anywhere, the blonde man had not been seen anywhere near the village since the last time he had met him during the awkward moment of his proposal -he pitied him over it as he was well aware of how relationship between a royal and a commoner had mostly ended up with but did not have the heart nor time to speak of it with him, and he did not have the time to search for him now as well.

Kristoff was a grown man, one that had lived outside the comfort of castle's walls for most of his lifetime, he was able to find his way himself.

Wilhelm leaned forward in his arm, hands reaching out impatiently in the same gesture of whenever he wished to be brought to a certain place, and when he had followed the direction his blue eyes were transfixed on, he had realized that his son was correctly wishing to head north, to where Elsa had headed for.

"The voice called for you, didn't it?"

Whoever it was, wherever it may come from, the voice had been Elsa's sole source of direction that had brought them all here, it may as well had been the reason of their parting from one another, and even with his growing irritation over it and what it had done, it was perhaps the only way that he could find his wife through his son's ability to hear it as well.

So he followed it, through the tall trees and the dirt pathway that slowly faded as he came further away from the Northuldra's territory, up the sloping hills, the staff given to him by the young woman held tightly in his grip for him to maintain his balance as he held his son securely with one arm. With every crunch of the leaves and pebbles under the sole of his boots, he continued to wonder of how Elsa had made the same trek as he, with her sister and the snowman of her creation following close behind.

The voice, this whole journey that they had taken, had plagued her mind so badly these past days, distracted her from everything else until there exist moments when he had to admit that he didn't _recognize _her. This tension between Arendelle and Northuldra, the mystery that laid behind the reason why the mist had covered the forest, it had driven her into conducting a witch-hunt for the answers as she fueled herself with the desire to make things right.

A whistle came from behind them before the wind spirit had blew past them in a calming breeze, prompting a round of giggles for Wilhelm. These spirits, he had a reason to be wary of them, after all they had been nothing but hostile toward them before Elsa had apparently driven them to be more peaceful and approachable, yet still could such ancient beings changed so drastically in such short amount of time just because a woman with powers was able to tame them?

It was another thing too about Elsa.

These spirits only wanted _her_, no matter how he viewed the situation there was no denying this, they only wanted his wife and those that she had brought along was deemed unnecessary, an extra baggage that had to be rid of eventually. Truly, even this wind spirit that now had playfully teased the young Prince still wary him after the damage that it could do, the tornado it had created that had sucked the Queen into it's vortex-

Cold gush blew harshly against his face, prompting him to turn his body to shield Wilhelm from the assault, and although a part of him had wondered whether the wind spirit had the ability to read minds, another part of him told him that no, it was not Gale's doing.

This coldness, he knew of this one, familiar with it after close to four years of marriage.

"Mama!"

He half expected to see her there, standing with her arms crossed over her chest, blue eyes glaring daggers at him as she demanded answers on why he was out there, trekking the Enchanted Forest with their son, putting him in potential danger when her intention of leaving them behind was no doubt to keep them safe. But when he had turned back around, the space in front of him was empty, not even Gale was there anymore, as if there had been nothing in first place.

But there _was _something.

An ice path had suddenly appeared, smooth layer stretching far beyond past him, perhaps even able to reach all the way to the Northuldra's village, with an unknown source of where it had started. But it was something, a form of hope, as he had suddenly picked up his pace, for there was only one person capable of doing this, the one person he was looking for was at the other end of this trail.

He was close.

* * *

It did not take him long to understand.

He had been following the ice path until there was nothing else to follow, where the end had led him to nothing but an empty hill where his wife was no longer standing at, where she had continued on with her journey -one that did not leave any sort of sign for him to track. But he had seen the wreckage of the ship, had seen the tattered Arendellian flag waving against the breeze, had gone down to investigate the poor old ship that had been washed ashore, wooden rotting with time and salt water.

He had seen the two abandoned parchments, dry and most importantly had only been opened not long ago. They were here.

The symbols on the first one had been indecipherable, an old and strange language was used, but he did not have to ponder long for someone else had written a note at the corner of it, and his heart had skipped a beat after he had read it over.

Rivers and magic.

The two things would not have made sense for him, would have been an unlikely duo that he could not understand at all, but he did. He reminded himself that he should thank Honeymaren for her brief explanation of Ahtohallan, the ancient river known to hold memories. It was also there on the map of the second parchment, drawn onto it with black ink as he doubted even Arendelle would have the magical river on their map. Putting the two and two together was an easy breeze for him to do.

Elsa was heading for Ahtohallan.

And that she may have been alone in her journey.

The ice path had rose questions for him as he followed it earlier, for why would she made such thing if there was nothing of use for it. At first, he had thought that she made it for him to track her, to perhaps tell him that she wanted him to join her after all, but a more rational part of him had realized that she didn't even _know _that he was to follow her, didn't even know that he was about halfway to where he was now, and the scrape marks on some of the ice had made him suspicious.

It seemed that the path was made to send someone _away _instead of inviting someone _over_.

Wilhelm had reached for the first parchment, small hand was strangely gentle as he run his finger over the symbols in wonder, before he had looked up at him with wide eyes. "Mama?"

"Yes, Wilhelm, we have to find Mama before she put herself in the face of danger."

* * *

The clap of thunder rumbled against the clashing of the waves.

Her heart raced against her ribcage, wind blowing against her face was cold and smelt of the salty sea air, and she had taken a deep breath to gather herself at the sight that had brought the nightmares of her childhood back to her mind.

Ever since her parents' death she had always had a certain fear for the sea, she found difficulties in facing it, had suffered through the sailing journey to the kingdom of Corona -though partly she had her early pregnancy ailment to blame for that too, she had even been driven into a state of panic and alarm when Hans had sailed to face the pirates as she feared that he may not return the way her parents didn't; though she had slowly coming to term with it with the help of her husband.

But this was different, this was the _Dark Sea_, the very place where her parents had perished, and it had sent a different shiver down her spine, colder and more menacing.

But Ahtohallan laid somewhere across for her to find, all she needed was to face her fear, no matter how dangerous it may be.

Unclasping the jacket she had worn, she had tossed the piece of clothing aside without much of a thought, the cold air that had suddenly hit her did nothing to make her cower -if anything she had welcomed it for the cold was something she found familiarity in, before she had moved to rid of her boots. They were only going to weight her down, and should she need them later on then she could simply use her magic to create new ones.

Unbraiding her hair was next, tugging against the weaved hair to free them out of the style she had worn from the moment they had set off on their journey, gathering the locks into a simple ponytail instead.

_Take a deep breath, relax._

Her husband's voice echoed in her mind as she recalled of what he had told her during one of his attempts to teach her how to swim, both had deemed it necessary that she did, if not for the sake of their safety should an incident was to happen then at least for her to be able to enjoy the activity.

She could feel the numbing feeling of black pebbles and sand beneath her bare feet, but she had paid no mind to it as she ran across the dark beach, and the moment her foot had met with the surface of the cold water a layer of ice had formed, keeping her above the surface as she continued her run across.

But her momentum had been off, and she could not climb the high wave that had appeared before her, feeling the water swallowed her whole.

Another.

This time, standing on the beach after she had found her way back -drenched from head to toe, she was quite confident with the quick calculation she had made, wringing her hands as she readied herself. This time, she had another way of facing the wave.

_Go under. Break through the wave._

And she did. The moment the wave came rolling toward her, she had dived into it instead of attempting to climb over the thing, the salt water stung against her eyes but she had pushed herself forward until her hands felt the rough surface of a coral to hold onto.

The moment water had disappeared from her back, as the coral had stood well over the surface, she had climbed against it's rough but slippery surface, rock digging into the skin of her palms and the sole of her feet but she had kept on going. There was no time for her to complain.

Continuing on running across the sea -she so desperately wished Hans was there with her just so she could laugh at his face over the fact that she could _run _on water, another wave had stood in her way, far bigger than the first one that she had to lift her chin up to look up, but her determination was not to be challenged, not today.

She couldn't swim through this one, it was too big and who knows when she could resurface before she lost all the air in her lungs, and so she had thrown her hands forward, large blast of ice cut through the waves to allow for her passage up.

But she had been too slow, or perhaps the waves had been too quick and too violent, for her ice had cracked and break before she could get through under the pressure of raging waves, and she had lost her footing, feeling gravity pull her down as she made fruitless attempt to grab the air before her body was submerged once more into the water.

Dark water did nothing to hold her back as she pushed herself to move forward in them, moving her limbs the way Hans had showed her to as she held her breath the best she could. It was the horse silhouette that had appeared before her, in a flash as thunder clapped once more, before it had disappeared that had surprised her, because once it had appeared once more it was far closer than before, right in front of her that she could make out how the water had taken shape of the stallion, posing some sort of a warning before it had disappeared once more, leaving tiny bubbles of air.

Air. She needed air.

Her breath came in a gasp as her head broke through the surface of the water, finding herself adrift with the water and the chilling wind, before her ears had picked up the sound of that horse once more. She had looked down, and deep in the water her eyes caught the beast galloping right toward her.

She had created a thick layer of ice to climb onto, pressing her body against the cold surface as she took a breath, thinking that she may have been safe until she had suddenly been launched into the air after the hard collide between the water-horse and her ice had sent her tossing high up in the air before she crashed back into the water.

It had seemed that her mere existence in the sea was unacceptable by the water spirit, who continued it's assault by diving it's front legs hard against her abdomen, pushing her down into the depth of the sea when she had barely taken a breath in an attempt to drown her.

Her stomach hurt, her lungs burned with the lack of oxygen, her entire body ache from trying to keep herself afloat, but she was _not _going to let herself be drowned like this. The horse was made of water, and water _freeze_. So, she pressed her hands against it's front legs, sending her ice to grow and encased the spirit until it explode, freeing herself as she pushed herself to swim back up to the surface before she collapsed from the lack of air.

Her ice had done nothing to stop the spirit, apparently.

Her battle with it continued, no matter how tired she was and how tired her magic was, despite the fact that she had been tossed around and flung in the air numerous of times, still she would not back away from this fight. She was not going to give up when she was so close into finding the place her parents had been searching for.

Resurfacing, her left hand was aching as the spirit dragged her by her hand in it's mouth -it was not necessarily _biting down _as she felt no set of teeth were present, but the angle that it was holding her, the way that her face stung as it continuously crashed against the sharp slap of the water at such speed, how she could barely inhale a breath as water kept trying to get into her mouth and nose, had her grimacing in pain.

It was dragging her back to the land, perhaps, but she would not allow it. She had come so far and she was _not _going to start over.

Creating a rein of ice with her free hand, she had flung it forward until it caught the water spirit, and the sudden trick had made it released it's hold on her, while she was not planning on releasing hers. With the right momentum she had flung her own body until she mounted the stallion, holding tight against the rein as it protested and moved to try and get her down.

_"The thing about horses, darling," Hans had taken her hand and guide it to touch the mare's nose, holding it in place when she had tried to flinch and stumble back when the horse had reared, giving her a reassuring smile despite the fear in her eyes. "Is that you have to remain calm."_

So, she firmly held herself in place, holding onto the reins as if her life depended on it -which in technicality was true to a certain degree when a horse-shaped spirit wished to drown her, letting it tire itself down until in one of the tugs she did, she could actually gain control.

The fast gallop over the surface of the water had slowly receded into a calmer one, and along with it the sea and the storm were actually starting to settle down as well until she could no longer hear the clapping of thunder.

With her mind clear and her body was not being tossed around, she could finally recognize this being she was currently mounting on. It was the Nokk, she had heard of it's folklore tales when she was young, though stories did not capture the truth of it now that she had gone face to face with it.

This was the being that Hans told her about, the one some sailors believed to cause every incident that happened in the Dark Sea, the one that had made it so treacherously menacing. And she was _riding _it.

Looking ahead, her eyes caught the sight that had her gasping a low breath.

"Of course," it all made sense to her now that she saw it with her own two eyes. "Glaciers are rivers of ice. Ahtohallan is frozen." The Nokk was _guarding _the sea and Ahtohallan.

The voice called for her again, after so long of being quiet, and for the first time in her life she had been filled with the feeling of _glad _upon hearing it.

"I hear you, and I'm coming."

**Writing Elsa's fight with each of the spirit is always a challenge, gosh.**


	11. Dive Down Deep into Her Sound

**I don't have anything to say other than the fact that 'Show Yourself' is probably the hardest song to write into a fic.**

Every inch of her was trembling.

But it was not from the cold, she had _never _been bothered by it before -not even now when her body was still drenched from top to bottom by the supposedly cold water as the wind blew against and brushing against her skin with every trot that the Nokk took, and neither was it was due to the fact that she was afraid.

If anything, this feeling within her as she looked over at Ahtohallan almost felt familiar, like a dream she could reach yet not quite hold, her fingertips were merely able to brush against it while she could not properly wrap her hand around it.

The voice had definitely come from the majestic glacier that had grown bigger the closer that she had approach it, she could _feel _it the way that she did back in Arendelle and in her bones, shuddering as her heart raced in her chest as she rode across the still water that rippled under each of the step that the water spirit had taken.

The closer she had gotten, the colder the temperature of the atmosphere was. The air was crisp, freezing, that those who were born normal would most likely to suffer from terrible cold merely by coming near it.

Unmounting the Nokk with one graceful movement, as she found he body feeling lighter than usual when she had come to Ahtohallan, she had also taken off the ice rein that once held the water spirit back, nodding her head respectfully at it as her form of expressing her gratitude for it's willingness -although with a bit of a hard work first, to be ridden by her. These spirits were ancient anyway, and though they had been hostile the first time she had met them, she had understood to a certain point that they were merely trying to protect the forest.

At this point her body and clothing -what remained of it anyway after she had rid of her jacket and boots, had already dried themselves, though not the same could be said of her hair, thus why she had pulled against the ponytail, freeing the locks until they cascaded down until it reached the small of her back as she made her way inside.

Her old self had always been a fortress -much like the high ice walls that surrounded Ahtohallan the way she had built walls surrounding herself and her heart, holding cold secrets deep inside. But she had changed since then, had opened up to people that she loved and care about, had let her walls down for people like Hans where she could be vulnerable and was not afraid to admit it.

"Show yourself." She needed to meet this voice, this fifth spirit that she was _dying _to know, one that had called for her all the way from Arendelle to here. She needed to know if it truly had held the answers that she had been asking, needed to find the truth that lies within. "I'm ready to learn."

The walls and the flooring and even the ceiling above her were made entirely of ice, smooth and without a single scratch as if it had always been like this -this enormous ice cave, without a touch of a human to build it. Her feet didn't feel the slightest of chill as she walked further inside, and for the first time in forever she had called the voice with her own vocalization, letting her voice echoed in the empty cave, and she was pleasantly surprised when the voice had called back for her, leading her to the path it wanted her to go to.

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she had picked up her pace until she came into a run, chasing over the glow underneath the thick layer of ice that had lit up the path beyond, running her hand over the smooth surface of the wall. She had never felt as certain as she was now -standing in what felt like a place she had always belonged surrounded with the element she had born with, and she was there for a reason, one that destiny had written for her.

Her path was coming to an end and a dark abyss laid before her with no bottom for her to see, but there was another path across of it, and she knew she had to go there, her magic _called _for her to go. With her magic pulsing in her fingertips, she had waved her hands forward, ice structure grew from her surge of magic until a bridge had connected the two ends -swirls of intricated design decorated every inch of it's surface, allowing her a safe and steady passage to cross.

She always been so different, even when she had accepted herself as who she was there was still a part of her that wondered _why _she had been like this. Perhaps this day, here in Ahtohallan, she would finally find the answer she had been wondering about for all of her life.

Further in, even blocks of ice could not stop her from continuing her path, dispersing in a blast of flurrying ice as she threw her arms wide, allowing herself inside. She was no longer trembling now, confidence pulsing in her veins as she waved her hands to fix the fallen ice pillars in her way back to their rightful place, the more she was faced with the easier she found herself into controlling them until all stood tall at the two sides of the grand hall as she felt her powers growing _stronger _the longer she remained in Ahtohallan.

The diamond-shaped ice crystals were familiar to her, the exact same as the ones that had appeared back in Arendelle before the spirits had run amok through the kingdom, bearing the symbols of the four elements, forming themselves by each symbol and it's respective color to create the form each spirit had taken, flowing around her, before they had combined into a single but much larger diamond, all four of them.

But there was no symbol for the fifth spirit, as it always been, even when Honeymaren had told her the belief of it. Unless—

She remembered the design on her Mother's scarf, the Northuldra girl had pointed it out during their brief talk by the fire, and she had seen the four symbols etched to it… and another one in the middle.

_A bridge between us and the magic of nature._

Raising her hands, she had felt the magic that pulsed in the four diamonds, feeling them connected with her own as they moved under her control, spiraling in the air before she had brought them down onto the floor, triggering for a middle piece to appear between them.

The fifth spirit.

What had drove her into stepping onto it was beyond her capability in answering, but the moment both of her feet had touched it, the five diamonds had suddenly grown into becoming a part of a snowflake before magic shot upward with enough force that her loose hair had been lifted up as well, bursting in the air as a dome had suddenly surrounded her.

There were moving pictures on the curving surface, and upon closer inspection she had realized that those pictures were very familiar to her, images that she had seen before in her life, faces she knew so well.

Memories. They were memories.

But not hers.

The voice. It was of a young girl calling out for the wind spirit as she cradled the unconscious body of a young boy. And she recognized them from the ice statues she had accidentally created back in the forest.

"Mother."

_"Come, my darling, homeward bound." _That lullaby, she had not heard of it sung by that voice in so long as she turned her body around, seeing her Mother's face as she sang, her heart had ached in her longing to see those kind blue eyes once more, that gentle face.

With tears blurring her vision as emotions started to overwhelm her, her lips had trembled. She was found.

Her journey had never been merely about finding the truth and the way of freeing Arendelle from the angered spirits, it was also for her to find _herself_, to find her purpose in life and the reason behind her existence. It was a journey for her to step into her power that she had born with, to grow herself into something new, a better version of herself.

_She _was the one that she had been waiting for all of her life to test her capability into reaching far beyond what she had, not the spirits and not even her parents, but _her_.

Magic flowed down over her body, creating a dress laced with ice, pure white in color, clothing her with her brand-new revelation and her new discovery upon herself, decorated with the four colored diamonds of each spirit as the symbolic gesture that she was, and had always been, equal to them.

She knew who the fifth spirit was.

* * *

_"Hi, I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs!"_

_"I love you, Olaf!"_

They were memories, _her _memories after the thick fog had cleared, frozen statues moving as the moment unfolded before her very eyes from different times of her life, even the earliest ones such as this one, where her younger self was playing with Anna, building a snowman both had loved so much and now had turned into her son's playmate as well.

_"Mama!"_

The call had made her turned around to see Wilhelm stumbling as he made his way toward her while the ice version of her had gotten down onto her knees, arms opened to greet him, catching him when the boy had left himself fall into her embrace. The moment had prompted a wide smile to grow over her face, as seeing her son had always been such a delight for her and deep down, no matter how she had chosen it, she missed him. She had not been apart from him for such a prolonged time, even when she knew he was safe with his father.

The sound of her own laughter had drawn her attention, just in time to see Hans lifting their joined hands, making her twirl as they walked together, which had only made her laugh further in amusement. _"What are you doing, darling?"_

_"Having a dance under the moonlight with my wonderful wife."_

Her own right hand came to hold her left, thumb and index finger coming to hold against the wedding ring that never once she had ever taken off, rolling it against the skin of her finger as her bottom lip came between the rows of her teeth. Hans must have been furious with her for choosing what was necessary, to not _talk _about it with him, but he would never agree and then it would put her family in danger instead of keeping them away.

Her heart did jump at the scream that she had never thought she had ever produced as she had sounded so in pain, but the moment she had laid her eyes on what part of her life could make her make such sound her heart had swelled just as the ice version of her had fell back onto the pillows and another sound had filled her ears.

_"A boy! Her Majesty has given birth to a healthy baby boy!"_

Wilhelm…

Tears stung her eyes as she watched the memory unfold, of how the crying bundle that was her son was given into her arms, how his cries had calmed down the moment he was pressed against her chest. He had grown so much in comparison to how small he was when he had been born, had grown from a newborn baby to a toddler that was so smart and kind that looked like a splitting image of his father.

_"I'm pregnant."_

Hans' icy figure had come down onto his knees, hands slipping out of her grasp as he moved closer until he could hold her by her waist instead, thumbs running over her clothed abdomen. _"We are going to have a child."_

Would she ever saw that same astonishment from him once more? Would she be given the chance to speak of those two precious words again, to experience the same life changing moment that Fates had written for her and Hans?

Continuing further on, this time fearful eyes had caught her attention. Those eyes belonged to her, her _past _self, scared and cowering back, pulling into herself and away from the world, as Hans and Anna stood near her, facing the crowd at the other side of the jagged ice that had grew out of her desperation to shield herself away.

_"I know you're all a little shaken, but do not be frightened, for beyond these ice," _Hans was holding her hand, the gloved one as the one that was bare was held closely against her chest, and there was a comforting look on his eyes when he looked at her before he had turned to look at the crowd, at ease. _"Queen Elsa can do so much more; there is beauty in what she can do, I myself have witnessed that."_

_"Elsa is a good person; a good Queen that would do anything for her people, her magic does not change that." _Anna stood in front of her, shielding her away from the people, her back turned toward her as she was not afraid of her own older sister even when she had only discovered of her biggest secret the same way the other guests had. _"Have you all forgotten of everything that she had done, what she had worked on for the better of Arendelle, just because she revealed that she had magic?"_

They were the two people that had always believed in her, even before she could believe in herself, had defended her despite the fact that she herself had not believed she was worth defending for back then when all she could think of was for her to run away, to escape from her own kingdom and up to the mountains where she believed she would be alone and yet free.

_"-Here I stand!"_

_That _moment though, she could not help but cringe at it, of the reminder of the fact that she had _sung _up in the mountains, with her husband watching her as she could finally try and see what she could do, to test her limits and to break through the box she had hid her magic inside of her. No matter how freeing it was for her, to sing like that still brought a flush of red onto her cheeks.

_"Say something… please." _The memory version of her was holding up a snowflake over her palm, with Hans sitting before her, silent with his eyes transfixed on the sight of her magic, out of him to see for the first time.

When he had looked up, to meet her eyes, there was a smile that tugged on his face. _"It's beautiful."_

_"You are a good Queen, Elsa." _This one memory though, she had no recollection in having, though upon her closer inspection she could understand _why_. Hans was carrying her in his arms, her eyes were tightly shut as her head leaned against his chest. This was way before she had revealed her secret to him, way before she had truly opened up to him, and yet he had still treated her like so, with such kindness and gentle gesture as he carried her away. _"I do hope you realize that."_

Making her way through the memories, dodging the ones that she had almost came in contact with -who knew what would happen if she was to meddle with any of them or worse _changed _them in any way or form, she was faced with her husband once more.

_"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, Your Majesty."_

It had been their first meeting, back then when she had just been coronated as Queen, back when she was unsure with the idea of the arranged marriage that was planned ahead for her by her own parents. Hans had looked so handsome, green eyes piercing and auburn hair combed back into perfection, but she knew both of them were still holding a mask over their faces, still hiding from one another.

_"I love you."_

_"I need to tell you about my past and where I'm from."_

_"I'm listening."_

Those two were not the voices of her and her husband, but instead of her parents just as they pulled away from the embrace they were in so that they could look into each other's eyes as her Father's hand came to caress her Mother's cheek. They were so in love, and one held a secret from the other just the way she and Hans did, that seeing parents made her feel like she was seeing at a mirror's reflection.

_"Your eldest daughter with one of my sons?"_

The man's voice was unfamiliar for her, deep and almost come in a grunt as she turned around out of sheer curiosity. The man was large-build, shoulders straight and wide, with a full beard that had covered half of his neck from view, eyes hidden under the thick eyebrows he had whenever he frowned. And before him was her parents, nodding, though expression unreadable.

The man leaned back in his seat, hand coming to caress his beard. _"All my sons are betrothed already-"_

_"I'm not." _The youthful voice had made them all turned their attention, even her, and there at the doorway stood a young Prince. _"I am not betrothed to any, Father."_

_"Ah yes, yes." _The man was almost dismissive of his young son as he waved his hand in the air as he turned his attention back at the King and Queen of Arendelle. _"That is my youngest son, Hans, who is not supposed to be here at the first place."_

_"Forgive me," _Hans had bowed his head, ashamed, and seeing her future husband acting like so had made her brows knitted. He had never sounded so… little, before. He had always held himself high and proud, but this version of him had his shoulders slumping, back hunching forward as his eyes avoided those of his father's. _"I was just passing through."_

This man was her husband's father, the King of the Southern Isles, the one person that Hans always seemed to reluctant in mentioning, had always driven him to advert the subject into something else entirely. She remembered how Hans had told her that he had chosen to be betrothed to her as his way of escaping his own kingdom, and even from this glimpse of moment there was a part of her that understood why he had done what he did.

_"King Runeard, I'm sorry, I don't understand." _A new memory had made her looked up, turning to see the two ice figures that had walked side by side, eyes widening at the face she had seen only in books and portraits in the castle.

"Grandfather?"

She had never met him before, not in person anyway, as according to her Father's tale he had passed away when her Father was merely fourteen years old, fallen to his death during the confrontation between Arendelle and the Northuldra people.

_"We bring Arendelle's full guard."_

The man beside him was unknown to her -but perhaps Anna would recognize him the way she had recognized Lieutenant Mattias, as he tried to consult the King over his plan. _"But they have given us no reason not to trust them."_

King Runeard had stopped in his track, and so did the man beside him, both standing right before her as they continued to convers, turning his head to the man that stood at his eye's level. _"The Northuldra follows magic. Which means we can never trust them."_

That had hit her more than she thought it would. Who knew that a person that had blood relation to her who had spoken such thing, unknowing that his own granddaughter would wield a magic of her own.

_"Magic makes people feel too powerful, too entitled." _He continued, as her heart had dropped at the sharp accusation, for after seeing the many happy memories that happened behind her, this one had still managed to leave a stinging pain in her heart. _"It makes them think they can defy the will of a King."_

"That is not what magic does." She knew it was useless for her to speak up, for memories could not hear nor see her they way she had seen them, as she was merely an empty space watching as things from the past unfolded. But she _had _to, had to defend herself and magic, both that flowed within her and the ones in nature. "That is just your fear. Fear is what can't be trusted."

She had first person experience with fear, she had let it gnawed on her for years, eating her from the inside out before she had realized that it was truly her enemy and that she should not focus on that. Stepping aside just as the two men started to walk once more, her eyes still glared daggers to the back of her grandfather's head.

Yet when she had thought they would disappear or collide against the ice wall that stood right in their path, they had only walked through it as if there was nothing there. There must have been another room just beyond those walls.

Waving her hand, she had dismissed of it, finding a triangular hole on a wall that was far thicker than the one she had rid of just moments ago, watching as the King and his company descended down the stairs.

_"You see, the dam will weaken their lands, so they will have to turn to me." _Driven by her curiosity and perhaps her bubbling anger at her own grandfather's false accusation over magic, she had followed them into the descending hole, her heels clicking against the icy surface.

_Dive down deep into her sound._

The farther in she was the louder the echo of her heels was heard in her ears as she picked up her pace, chasing over her grandfather without actually running.

Which, in turn, she was thankful for.

Her surrounding was growing darker as the source of light -the entrance that also served as her exit, had been far behind her. And she had been so focused on the way ahead, even when the two male figures had disappeared from her view, that if she had not been thinking quickly and stopped, right at the edge of the path with zero rail nor sign of ending, she would have fallen into the dark abyss right underneath her.

_But not to far or you'll be drowned._

This marked the first time she ever felt this kind of chill that run down her spine, not entirely of fear but also of… cold. Breath coming in thin white mist, each take had her shivering as she looked down to see the Northuldra people walking down into the depth of the gaping hole at her left while the Arendellian soldiers were on her right.

_"They will come in celebration, and then we will know their size and strength."_

They were walking right into a trap.

Faint noises could still be heard behind her that prompted her to look over her shoulder, of her memories replaying themselves over and over again, moments that she cherished and were important for her, of her living with her loved ones, laughing and crying together as a family.

Her nose started to itch, reddened with the nipping cold that she strangely could not avoid. She had to take the jump, to leap into the hole so that she could find the truth about the past, of what had happened between the two sides until their clashed against one another, of what her grandfather had done.

So she did.

Feeling gravity pulled her down, deep into the darkness she had once avoid, until she landed in a crouching position as to break her fall, the cold ice floor underneath her palms had made her pulled her hands away as soon as she could as she came to stand.

It was… cold.

So very cold that she had actually _shivered_. She had never felt like this before, this sensation that stabbed through her skin all the way into her bones, chilling her until she had to wrap her arms around herself, her whole body trembled as she felt utterly useless.

For once, she could not feel her magic pulsing in her veins.

Holding both her hands out for her to inspect, her eyes had widened when frost had covered them, biting into her skin as she returned into hugging herself for warmth she desperately needed. She wanted Hans or Anna to hold her, to envelop her in their warmth, but she was alone. So utterly alone.

The Northuldra people were celebrating, gathered to watch some sort of a performance that involved reindeers, though she could not be bothered much by it as her attention had been drawn toward where King Runeard was standing with a Northuldra man, their leader perhaps, arguing over the dam that had been built.

_That's a big gift of peace._

But it was not a gift of peace, wasn't it?

The Northuldra's leader lowered himself down as he held a bowl in both of his hands as frost climbed up her neck, her chest was aching from the lack of oxygen it was getting as she found it harder to breath, and her grandfather walked past her, sword raised up.

"No!"

She wanted to stop him, to block him and even shield the unknowing Northuldra with her own body if it meant that she could stop the Arendelle's King from his attempt at assassination, but she _couldn't _move, forced to watch the slaughter right before her eyes.

Her feet froze, this time it was not merely frost that covered her, her own body was turning into _ice_, rapidly from her feet and up to her waist in a matter of seconds. The tips of her fingers had started to turn into ice as well, frigid and unmoving.

Just like her nightmares where her loved ones turned into ice because of _her_, she was turning into one, cursed with a frozen body in the depth of Ahtohallan where no one would be able to find her.

She dove too deep.

Panic began to consume her, frozen tears filled her eyes at the thought that she would never see her family once more, that she wouldn't be able to watch her son grow up and raise him into the young man she wanted him to be, she wouldn't be able to love her husband and see his face as she ran her hands over the skin of his torso, she wouldn't be able to embrace her younger sister and—

"Anna."

She was her only hope, she was the only person she could trust in solving the dark past of their family, she had to know the truth, had to know what happened, she had to break the curse.

Raising her hand high up, she had forced the last bit of her magic to shoot up, bringing the information that she had acquired here to pass on to the Princess before ice had completely taken hold of her.

And everything turned dark.


	12. Never Be the Same

It reminded him of his home.

That had never been a good way to describe a place for him.

Night had blanketed the land when he had made his way up north with one place in mind until dry path had slowly turned into damped black pebbles and sand crunching under the sole of his boots. The salty sea air offered some familiarity for him, who had much preferred the ocean than staying at his kingdom back when he was younger and had not yet made his trip to Arendelle, but still the knowledge of where he was and what it was famed for sent a shiver down his spine.

He had never once saw the Dark Sea, not with his own two eyes, as tales of it had driven him away from the vicious waters, for even he was no desperate fool to come near and to discover what laid beyond the raging waves.

And for it to resemble the Southern Isles' beaches in some aspects had made him uncomfortable.

_There were no mountains to block the howling winds and no sandy beaches to muffle the roaring surf._

That had been his own words and description to his wife, back when they were only returning from their honeymoon years ago, when she had asked him to tell her of the kingdom he was born and raised in. This place, this beach, it had the same physicality as the Southern Isles.

"Papa?" Wilhelm's hand had come up, reaching for his face and prompting him to look at his son, noting how his brows were knitted as his eyes looked directly at his. "Papa okay?"

The question made his heart swelled, for he truly was his mother's son, such gentle touch of affection could only be inherited from the Queen, even when the rumbling thunder had made him whimpered earlier, he was still able to tell when _his _mind was troubled. Taking his small hand in his, he had offered the young boy a reassuring smile. "Yes, Wilhelm, Papa is fine. But we should find your Mama."

This was no leisurely walk, he was well aware of that, but Wilhelm had wanted to be let down -which was a little strange since he had always been the one who just _loved_ being carried around everywhere he went, and he had taken his hand as they walked over the beach in search of the striking platinum blonde hair that they both knew so well.

Ahtohallan was located across the Dark Sea, the map had said so itself, but a part of him had hoped that his wife was not insane enough to _cross _the raging waves to reach a place that was not even _confirmed _to exist. Though the fact that he had seen her anywhere had made his hopes flattered.

Wilhelm's hand slipped from his grasp as the boy had suddenly took off ahead of him, not turning around even after he had called for him, stumbling and even had fallen down once and yet he had only picked himself back up and continued on without even a cry or a whimper. He had followed close behind, close enough to see the boy had stopped by a rock, reaching for… something blue.

The sight had made him picked up his pace then, fearing for the worst of what might have happened to his wife. Had she been knocked unconscious, helplessly lying here on this godforsaken beach, without anyone else to help her? Or was she, God forbid, de—

Jacket. It was only her jacket that was laid there, tossed aside, with her boots on top. A part of him had let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, because his son did not just find his mother's body on the ground, but another part of him had to bite down a curse he did not wish for Wilhelm to hear as he looked over the sea.

She crossed.

"Why Elsa?" His murmur was more to himself than to anyone in particular, as he really was starting to question her common sense ever since they had come to the Enchanted Forest, had been noticing how different she had been acting.

When he had looked back down, ready to get his son, he was met with the sight of him managing to wrap the jacket around himself, the adorable sight of how he was drowning in the large piece of clothing had prompted the corners of his lips to tug into a smile as Wilhelm had given his own wide one up to him from under the fabric that he had also covered his head in, proud of his work.

Bending down, he had picked the toddler up along with his wife's jacket, letting the boy had it as it seemed that Elsa had no need for it any longer. There was still a faint scent of her perfume coming from her jacket, though it had been badly mixed with the salty sea air. She had gone, but perhaps not that long ago.

Making his way toward the sea, waves washing against the toes of his boots, his green eyes had searched far ahead, though he could not find even the smallest of glimpse of Ahtohallan or any dry land for that matter, it was far too dark for him to. Even if he wanted to attempt to do what she did, to _swim _across, he knew he couldn't. He couldn't bring Wilhelm along and yet he couldn't leave him behind either. Then there was the thing about his injury. To soak it in salt water would only mean that he was torturing himself.

Still, there was no way that Elsa could have swim all the way across, it was too far and to go against the waves would cost so much of her stamina, there simply was no possibility for him to believe in.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see the way Wilhelm's head had perked up from under his mother's jacket, blue eyes looking far beyond the horizon as his hand reached out, clenching and then unclenching repeatedly. He had seen this look on his son enough times to know that he had heard of that voice once more as he let out a quiet round of longing babbles.

"I know, Wilhelm, you miss Mama, I know."

But what could he possibly do? He was merely a man, he was not gifted the way his wife had been.

What was he supposed to do? What did Elsa expected him to do by leaving like so? He had nowhere to go, no place to stay. Kristoff must have joined the Northuldra to head for the meadows, far in the west, Anna's location was unknown to him, the Princess had been separated from the Queen but to where he did not know, and Arendelle was still far too dangerous to be lived in.

He had turned his back toward the raging ocean, had taken steps away from it as he carried his son when the young boy had suddenly exclaimed rather excitedly as he tried to go over his father's shoulder, and for one hopeful moment he had _wished_ it was her that Wilhelm had seen.

Instead, he was met with a stallion made entirely out of water, standing tall just a few inches from where the sea met the land, glowing eyes empty as they narrowed back at him. He would have been surprised by the presence of it, if only he had not seen the other spirits in the forest early on.

He was a man that had always found interest in horses, the creatures always seemed to fascinate him, he had grown up liking them, had understood what he had to do. But this one was different, this was no ordinary beast, this was Nokk, the water spirit.

Tales were heard of it, of the being that drowned men and women alike should they come close, taking form of a handsome man with a violin, a beautiful and enchanting woman, or a horse that lured those foolish enough to ride it. It was the one being that sailors had told him of what had caused the Dark Sea to be as vicious as it was, and though he had merely taken the story as a fairytale, to see it now with his own two eyes had opened his mind into believing that perhaps those men were right indeed.

He should fear it, of the thing that had brought sailing ships down under high rolling waves, stealing lives of those aboard, but it's eyes were not even on _him_ to begin with, it's focus was not directed at the auburn haired man. Instead, it was staring right at the young boy in his arms.

His body moved out of instinct to protect his son, twisting until he had shielded him away from the spirit, standing between the two, prompting the horse to finally turned it's gaze toward him, eyes narrowing even further. He didn't trust spirits, he could never, not when they had been nothing but hostile each time.

Not when they had done nothing but prompted Elsa into continuing on with this quest of hers.

"What do you want?" He was rather unsure on whether the spirits could understand him or his words, and even if they did he couldn't tell exactly _how _they would answer -or if they wanted to answer in the first place, but he had the right to ask, he was growing tired of them. "Why are you here?"

As expected, Nokk didn't answered with words, but it's eyes adverted back toward Wilhelm, letting out a snort as it's front hoof dug against the lapping waves, expressing it's impatience.

The gesture made him take a step back, moving his son further away and out of reach of the spirit as one of his hands cradled Wilhelm's head. He may have been mistaken in his way of understanding it, but if he was right and the water spirit had only wished for his son then he will be damned before he would let it get close.

He could have sworn that the Nokk was _glaring _at him then, and he had feared that maybe he had angered the ancient spirit and put his son at risk for something that he had done so carelessly, yet the water horse had suddenly turned around, alerted as it gaze far beyond the rolling waves, and as if Hans had not existed anymore it had melted back into the ocean, leaving the two humans at the beach as if there had been nothing at all in the first place.

The whole ordeal had made his brows furrowed, as the change of action that the Nokk had gone through was rather strange. Why would a spirit even bother into revealing itself before a mere man such as he and then leaving so suddenly without doing much of anything? What did it want with Wilhelm? Why was it's interest was only for the boy?

"Papa," Wilhelm's yawn had drawn his attention away from his own thoughts to see the boy rubbing his eyes with his clenched fist. "Sleepy."

He should have slapped himself across the face for his ignorance.

He had been so immersed in finding his wife that he had failed to notice how exhausted his son must have been. Wilhelm required his daily naps, he was merely a toddler after all, and he had been kept up throughout their trek in following Elsa's trail without much time to stop and rest.

Carrying the boy back toward a large rock, he had lowered himself until he sat on the pebbled beach, leaning his back against the rough surface as he placed his son on his lap, facing him, letting him slump against his chest the way he had did against his mother's during their journey leaving Arendelle, pulling the blue jacket over him as a mean of blanket even when he knew that the cold had never bothered his son, an ability inherited from his wife herself.

_"Sleep, my darling, safe and sound," _Wilhelm had hugged the ice crystal close against his chest, and though the chill did seep through the Northuldra's clothing he wore, he had not expressed any sort of discomfort from it. _"When all is lost, then all is found."_

They will find Elsa, they had to.

* * *

He must have fallen asleep as well.

It had not been long and had not been a heavy one, more like where his mind drifted in and out of consciousness as exhaustion had slowly gnawed on him, he had still noted the sound of crashing waves and the claps of thunder even when there was not a single drop of rain that showered them. His wound had ached every once in a while, especially with his son's body against him, but it was nothing he couldn't bear as he had been worse situation and lived through it nonetheless.

But it was Wilhelm's sudden whimper that had brought his attention into an alert.

With his eyes snapping opened, his hand had automatically grabbed for the staff by his side, ready to defend himself and his son from whatever it was that had come and pose a threat, but looking around he had found nothing was amiss. Nothing had come for them, not even when he had narrowed his eyes and took closer inspection to his surroundings.

Wilhelm's whimper had continued though, and only when he had taken his time to look down that he found what had caused it.

The ice crystal was… disintegrating.

Particles of ice and snow slowly rose into the air, flurrying away and reducing the crystal in his son's hands, and the sight had upset him.

The magic in it was fading.

"Mama…"

Something gripped his heart just as Wilhelm had looked up at him, eyes filled with pooling tears ready to spill, lips trembling. Something happened to Elsa, something bad.

_But not too far or you'll be drowned._

"No. No."

It couldn't be. Elsa couldn't be…

But how else would her magic fade like so? His wife had created many wonderful things, delicate artwork that had been admired by many, made entirely of ice by her magic, never a single drop of melted water had ever touched the ground. Even Olaf, a magical talking walking snowman, could endure through glaring sunlight unbothered.

She had gone too far.

Wilhelm's cry soon broke, for even in such young age he must have felt something terrible had happened to his beloved mother, his connection with her was so deep that it had subconsciously alarmed him that something had happened, and for once in his life the auburn-haired Prince Consort had done nothing to stop his son.

Instead he had gathered him in his arms, cradling him close as he felt his own legs losing it's strength -thankful that he was not standing up at the moment or else he may have fallen down then, letting the poor boy sobbed against his chest as his small hand gripped against the fabric of his clothes.

He wished to comfort his son, he wished to utter words of reassurance that everything was going to be alright, that perhaps the ice crystal had nothing to do with Elsa's condition, but he was at loss of words himself, as who he was trying to lie to anyway?

She was his wife, his best friend, the mother of their son, his _home_. She was this person that was able to steal his heart even when she had done nothing but to avoid him, she was the one whose smile could brighten up his day even during difficult times, she was the one he trusted the most to share his painful past -and he was one to be trusted by her with the knowledge of her magic.

And now he had lost her. He had lost half of himself.

For Wilhelm, she was his mother, one that raised and nurtured him with all that she was, one that loved him more than anything in the world, one that would protect him from any harm until the last take of her breath.

He didn't deserve to lose her in such young age when he needed her the most.

All because of this damned voice that had led her into facing all sort of dangers that the Enchanted Forest holds, she lost herself by trying to be everything for everyone else without thinking about herself.

He had seen dark before, had lived through it, but this one was different. This one was cold, empty… _numb_.

The ice crystal had been completely gone by the time that Wilhelm had started hiccupping, his body trembled with his tears soaking his father's clothing, and Hans had pulled him even closer as he rubbed a soothing hand against his back.

His own tears had run down his face in a silent cry, yet had been quickly wiped away before the boy could see, it was too much already for him that having to see his father crying would have only worsened the situation.

What would he do now? Without his wife by his side, without her love and her guidance for him to be a better man each and every day, without her care and her encouragement, he was lost.

"Papa…" Wilhelm's voice had trembled as he pulled away from him, looking up with reddened face and damped wide eyes. "Mama. I want Mama."

"Mama," his voice had gotten caught in his throat as he steeled himself from breaking down, instead wiping the tear streaks on his son's cheeks with his hand. He couldn't utter the word to his son, he didn't have the heart, and he was unsure Wilhelm would understand the situation completely.

This grief had a gravity that pulled him down, entrapping him to just… give up. But Wilhelm, this young boy of his, he was his reminder that he had to go on, no matter how lost he was and how his hope had felt like it was gone completely, because he had to fight for Wilhelm, he had to be strong for him, he had to do the next right thing.

So he struggled to put a smile, just a small one to comfort the toddler, as he had heaved himself back up onto his feet, ignoring the shake of his legs as invisible burden had made his shoulders heavy. "We will wait for Mama back home, alright?"

_Just do the next right thing._

Trudging his way through the beach, he had followed the path from where he had come from, intending to head back to the Enchanted Forest. Home. He didn't even know if Arendelle would remain standing now that Elsa had… But Wilhelm needed to be comforted, it was the least that he could do right now.

He wouldn't look too far ahead, unable to stand the thought of living so differently now, all he wanted to do was to find his sister in-law, at the very least, to see Anna and maybe he would figure something out then. He couldn't even imagine what the Princess would feel, how she would react, when she had discovered the fate that had befallen her older sister.

All he knew was that nothing would ever be the same ever again.

**This is definitely not my best work, but I've been struggling so much that I can't find a way to make it better, I'm sorry. I hope future chapters wouldn't disappoint though.**


	13. To Break the Curse

_"If anything happens, you have to choose the child."_

Elsa had told him that, had made him _promise _that to her, during her pregnancy with Wilhelm. She knew of the risks that came with childbirth, of the complications that may arise, and the lurking possibilities that they may had to choose to save just one. She had been more than willing to sacrifice her own life for the sake of their son's, had come to the acceptance that her death meant that their son would live.

It had frightened him so much then, though he had never once showed it to her. Georg, his fifth brother, had lost his wife during the birth of their child, and even then the boy had never took a taste of life as it had been born lifeless as well. It had broken the fifth Prince of the Southern Isles, grief weighted him down so much that he had never been the same ever again, had turned to drinking his pain away. None of the brothers had bothered to come and talk to him -who had decided on locking himself up in his own bedchamber, except for him, despite Lars' advise. He had tried to understand, to listen to one of the few men he had once looked up to, of his pain and his lament, of his blame to God for taking his wife and son even before he could live a life he always dreamt of.

Hans had become his only company, until he had to leave for Arendelle to marry Elsa.

He had thought that he had understood of his brother's pain then, had prepared himself into not turning the way he was should similar fate was to befallen him.

He was wrong.

Because now all he wanted was to rid of the burning pain within him, of the suffocation that he had to endure as he dragged his feet forward, his surrounding had turned back into tall trees and crunching dried leaves under his boots.

Now he _truly _understood what Georg had gone through, of his reasons of wanting nothing from life, of how difficult it was to even wake up each morning to a reality that had taken it's darkest turn on him.

Gentle hand pressed against his face had made him stop, and for one moment it had felt as if it was Elsa who had cupped his face, to coax him into turning his head to find her with a comforting smile on her face, telling him that it was all nothing but his own thoughts twisting his view due to exhaustion. But it was far too small to be her hand, and a tad too warm, but when he did turn and looked down, it was still her eyes that he saw, just on a face that he had seen from the portraits of his younger years.

Wilhelm.

Elsa was willing to sacrifice for the sake of their son, she was willing to fight and discover the truth herself just so she could keep the boy out of harm's way. If he was to give up now, if he was to succumb into the darkness, then everything she had worked hard for would go in vain because then he would abandon their son all by himself.

Wilhelm had lost his mother today, he couldn't have him losing his father as well.

Pressing a gentle kiss on top of his head, against the auburn locks that had grown much thicker than any child's hair thanks to his mother's genes, he had let the boy wrap his arms around his neck, feeling him burying his face against the crook of his neck.

"Papa will protect you, Wilhelm," he promised as he held the child closer, letting out a small sigh as he pushed himself forward once again. "Papa will do anything in his power," no matter how lacking it was compared to the one that his wife possessed, "to give you the life that you deserve."

There was another problem too.

The mist still stood, the curse unbroken, and none of them could leave the forest. What they were supposed to do now? The people of Arendelle were waiting for their return, for them to restore their kingdom into what it once was, yet they were just as trapped as the Northuldra and the Arendellian guards now.

The kingdom had no ruler, for the royal family were all absent, that even if they attempted on rebuilding the kingdom, they had no leader to officiate the land, not even the Council could do much without a monarch.

He had to find Anna, discuss a way out of this mess, but he had no idea where she could possibly be, the forest was large and it would perhaps take him _days _to explore each part of it, not to mention if the Princess was on the move as well, reducing his chance of finding her and increasing their distance.

It would taken him forever to ever find her—

"Wake. Up!"

That was her voice.

Loud and clear, ringing through the forest, prompting even Wilhelm to lift his head up in attention, startled by the sound of his aunt just as the Prince picked up his pace in following to where her voice had come from, dodging through branches and yellowing leaves.

"WAKE UP!"

What exactly was she trying to wake?

The ground beneath his feet started to shake, driving him into stopping abruptly in his track as he tried to balance himself. The earth continued to shake as heavy rumbling had now joined while he moved forward -slower and more careful, until he could see his sister in-law's figure through the trees.

But even before he could call out for her, to question on what exactly was she trying to do, shadow rose high from the direction of the river, and he almost regretted in turning around. Giants had rose, almost reaching Arendelle's tallest tower in term of height, towering past the trees as his eyes widened, made of heavy rocks.

Earth. The fourth spirit was earth.

One had fallen onto the other in it's daze of being woken up by the Princess, causing the second to shove the first away, sending it falling back onto the river, water spraying everywhere from the collision, and it's eyes had caught the sight of the strawberry-blonde haired royal.

"That's it." Anna nodded, seemingly rather satisfied for the foolish action she had taken. "Come and get me! Come on!"

She has lost her mind.

* * *

This will work, it _had _to.

Elsa had literally given everything that she was for this, to break the curse, and had trusted her to finish what she could not.

After watching the snowman disintegrating right before her eyes, his magic in him fading as the realization that her older sister had not been okay, that what she had feared the most the moment she had decided to separate herself from the others had actually happened, she had succumb into a lonely and painful grief, all by herself in a dark cave with nothing but her bag to clutch against her chest.

It had triggered a memory she had wished to never happen again, to grief for the death of her family member the way she way she had grieved for her parents… alone and feeling completely and utterly lost.

She only had been reunited with her sister for four mere years, it was nothing compared to the years of their separation, of the lonely childhood where she wandered the castle's halls all by herself, and now her sister had been taken away from her once more, and this time there was no possible way for her to get her back.

Her grief had not only been for her sister and the snowman they had grown to love, but for her nephew as well.

She was fifteen when she had lost her parents, a teenager that had spent her share of time with both her Father and Mother, she had the chance to grow up with them even when she still missed her older sister terribly. Wilhelm was not even two years old yet and he had to lose his Mother, the one person that he was most attached to, he would grow up without her and barely even a memory of her for him to remember.

And somehow the thought had pushed her to rise back up, to take a step -one by one, to encourage her to continue on no matter how much things had changed in her life in a matter of a day, to follow the light that would lead her out. If not for her, if not for Arendelle, then for her beloved nephew.

She had to break the dam to break the curse.

But she couldn't do it herself.

A strong blow of the wind from behind her -most probably would have come from the Earth Giants' growl, had enough force to send her falling onto the ground, arms trying their best in breaking her fall against the hard ground, though her body still ached nonetheless. But it was no time for her to cry or complain, she had told herself that she had to keep going forward as she pushed herself back up.

"That's right!" she encouraged the elemental spirits as she continued on picking her pace. "Keep coming!"

They had to follow her, they had to help her, and she hoped she didn't get crushed before that.

A boulder flied past her, right above her head, landing with a hard thump as it dug the ground in front of her as she made the abrupt stop while she ducked. That was dangerous, extremely so, and Elsa would no doubt scold her about it, but that will definitely work in her favor.

Turning around, she had lifted both arms up, waving them in the air as she tried to attract the giants' attention back at her. "This way, guys!"

She didn't really think about how she could keep her distance from the giants though.

Because no matter how fast she could run -and gosh she could outrun _men _in a race, the giants were, well, gigantic and they had larger steps than she, even when they seemed to move much slower than the other spirits. For she could _feel _their stomping feet right behind her back now, merely inches away, and with every step they took the force was strong enough to send her stumbling until she could no longer maintain her balance and had fallen back onto the ground.

But unlike the first time, she was much closer now, just in reach for one of them to stomp it's foot flat on her, and in her panic she had desperately tried to scramble away, to perhaps get back on her feet, but it was to no use.

So, this must be her doom, her fate, to ended up as one with the ground… in one quite literal way.

Something, or rather _someone, _had swept her up just before the giant's foot could stomp her, and when she had opened her tightly shut eyes, her heart was filled with sudden gratefulness as her cheeks warmed up. "Kristoff!"

"I'm here." He confirmed as Sven carried them away from the giants at a much faster rate, increasing their distance. "What do you need?"

"To get to the dam."

"You got it."

There was no time for her to explain her exact plan, no time to argue with her reasonings of doing such _crazy _act, and she was eternally glad that he didn't question her one bit.

The mountain man simply brought her to where she wanted to go as her fingers curled around the fabric of his clothes as a mean to hold on, though she knew -and trusted, that Kristoff would never once ever let her fall as they dodged flying trees and boulders thrown by the earth spirit.

It was not exactly a cliff that they faced, but it was still high enough and steep enough to prevent Sven from climbing or jumping over it. But she could, she definitely could, with the right boost. "Help me up!"

"We'll meet you around!" Kristoff understood her like no one else could as his hands held against the sole of her boot, giving her enough force to push her up into a position where she could climb over.

The five Arendellian guards were not what she expected to meet, standing between her and the dam with their defenses up. "Lieutenant Mattias."

"Your Highness," the man acknowledged her as he lowered his blade, but not his shield, as he bared the look of pure confusion at her. "What are you doing?"

"The dam must fall." This time, it was necessary for her to explain her plan, as she knew these people would need convincing more than Kristoff. "It's the only way to break the mist and free the forest."

"But we're sworn to protect Arendelle at all cost."

So he knew, of what would happen should the dam be broken, of the flood that would surely destroyed everything down it's path across the fjord, including the kingdom. Thus why she had explained what she knew, of what they had to do, of the fact that Arendelle would not have any future unless they set things right, of the betrayal at the hand of her grandfather, the lies that had been told of the Northuldra and the war that had broken between them.

"How do you know that?"

It must have been hard for him to trust her words, he had been serving under the late King's reign before he was trapped in the forest, and she would have had a hard time believing that her own kin would have done such terrible thing as well should the circumstances was to be different. "My sister gave her life for the truth." And she believed Elsa more than she believed in anyone else. "Please. Before we lose anyone else."

Lieutenant Mattias' face had changed the moment she had revealed what her sister had done, the sacrifice she had made, for everyone. He had taken a few deep breaths, processing the whole situation, of the loss of the Queen and the possibility that it all may be in vain if they did not act quickly, before he had raised his shield up and hit his blade against it, the sound of metal meeting metal was loud enough to deafen her ears, especially when the rest of the guards had followed their leader's gesture, drawing the attention of the earth giants back to them after they had lose the Princess in the midst of the thick forest.

And she had run, passed the guards and right toward the dam, hearing the muffled sound of boulders flung and landing hard against the ground, but she did not stop, not until she had reached approximately the middle of it.

"Destroy the dam!" She called out for the giants, with everything that she had to be as loud as she possibly can or else they would not be able to hear her. "Come on! Throw your boulders!"

She must admit though, that she didn't exactly think everything through.

The first boulder that had actually hit the dam had landed right before her, planted deep through the structure and sending debris flying everywhere as she took a stumbling step back. That had been her signal to continue with her run, to cross over to the other side of the dam and let nature did it's job.

She was so close into reaching the other side when another boulder had landed between her and her destination, completely cutting her way as there was no way she could jump over the gaping hole, especially when another boulder was headed right to where she was standing.

So she ran back to where she had come from, as fast as her feet could take her, hands clutching the strap of her bag across her chest, not daring to look behind and over her shoulder as she knew that right behind her, the dam was falling down.

But the other end was also falling apart, crumbling down as it's structure was completely ruined by the boulders thrown by the giants, and while she should be glad that her plan was working, her heart raced as she pushed herself through her limits and run faster than she ever done before, until her path was met with an end and she had jumped over as far as she could possibly go.

But she knew she was not going to make it.

"Anna!" A hand grabbed hers, suspending her fall until she was hanging over the destroyed dam and the gaping darkness that would surely swallow her whole, holding tight and not letting go. "I've got her!" She had looked up then, to see the auburn-haired Prince was the one who had saved her life as he called back to whoever it was behind him, and even when his green eyes were glaring down at her when he had turned back around, she had smiled. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

Another hand, this time Kristoff's, was offered down for her to take, and she did, letting the two men hoisted her up and back to safety, gasping as soon as the mountain man had pulled her into his embrace, both breathing heavily from the amount of adrenaline pulsing through their veins.

She could hear the sound of the dam falling, destroyed by the boulders, water pushing through the fragile structure.

It's done.

Arendelle will fall now.

Water will destroy her kingdom and everything she had ever known, it would reduce the houses into nothing but ruins, her people would lose everything they ever owned. But the forest will be freed, the people trapped inside would be able to leave, she and her family would be able to return and salvage what was left after the flood.

Her home was no more.

**I'm so glad you guys feel that way about the last chapter, it warms my heart :')**


	14. Spirit and Queen

**In case the site is messing with update notification, don't miss the previous chapter!**

She was so lost.

Her world had been so dark, so empty and quiet, _chilling_, as she wandered aimlessly through the endless darkness that seemed had no way out. She wished to call out, wished to know if there was someone out there with her and she simply could not see them, but her mouth never moved, voice never came out as her feet did not even feel like they were stepping over anything, just floating and yet trapped.

There was no indication on how much time had passed, how long she had spent in this unknown place all by herself. She tried to recall her past, of the life she once had, but nothing came up, nothing had made her feel grounded to the world.

She was leaving it, it seemed.

Something in her snapped, invisible shackles around herself becoming undone so suddenly that she had let out a surprised gasp, her limbs suddenly felt so free and no longer entrapped, the chill that had surrounded her had suddenly disappeared.

But she felt so tired, so out of breath and with no energy left in her, and when the ground below her feet cracked and fell apart, her body had fell along with it, pulled by gravity that had felt so much heavier than what she remembered.

Wind whistled past her ears as she fell, loose hair falling along with gravity as her limbs had done nothing, motionless before her back had crashed through cold water, feeling herself sinking and yet unable to do anything about it as water surrounded her completely, bringing her down.

Her eyes had opened somehow, though she could not tell if the blur in her vision had come from the fact that she was drowning or due to the fact her mind had been so exhausted that it was unable to register anything as she slowly lose her consciousness once again, perhaps both.

But in the midst of it all, she had seen _him_.

Her husband, swimming toward her, handsome as his hand reached out toward her.

_Hans._

She wanted to move, to reach out for him as well, to take his hand and feel his warmth, to find her sanctuary and the safety of his embrace. She didn't know that she had missed him so much like so.

Yet when she did succeed, when her hand had finally touched his, she had noted that he was lacking his warmth, and his skin had felt different under her touch as she couldn't feel the rough texture due to the old scars on his palm.

He wasn't her husband, wasn't he?

Head breaking through the water surface, she has gasped for air before she had coughed as water had filled her lungs, and though delirious her mind had picked it's pace in catching up on what was going on. Turning, it truly wasn't her husband that had saved her from drowning, it wasn't even human in the first place, but the Nokk instead.

The water spirit urged her to climb onto it's back, and she had done so without question, had not even bothered to create reins as it took off, running above the water surface with such speed fast enough to make her hair and dress to fly behind them.

Her business had not yet finished.

Not when she could see the flooding water in front of her, rolling through the valleys in such vicious manner, ready to destroy and swallow anything in it's path whole.

_Anna broke the dam._

The Princess had gotten her message and understood, she had done the right thing despite everything, she had known of the dark past that had been caused by no one but their own grandfather, she had succeeded in breaking the curse that had befallen the forest for years.

Now it was her turn to save Arendelle.

Urging the Nokk forward, the spirit had reared as it picked up it's pace, jumping over the highest rolling wave before they had moved down, jumping from one top to the next, descending the water as they started to outrun it.

Arendelle was right there, right in front of her, her beloved kingdom empty and abandoned as she raced toward it, the sound of vicious water right behind her sending shiver down her spine. Her heart raced within her chest, for what she was about to do was never been done before. Could she even do it? Did she have the strength and the capability to execute such powerful act?

But she really had no other choice.

The Nokk turned around, rearing as magic surged out of her raised hands, creating a wall of ice between them and the flooding water. She could _feel _the force of collision between her ice and the water, making her teeth gritted and brows furrowing as she maintained the wall to stand tall. Her hands were only lowered down when she was sure the entire water coming from the dam had gathered, using her magic to push them back as the wall was dismissed, turning the once violent current into a steady and peaceful wave.

The large amount of magic used had exhausted her as she breathed deeply, sighing as she was far more than ready to rest, but the cheers -no matter how far away it was and thus not as loud, had made her turned her head around to find the people of Arendelle that had looked on from the high cliffs, had been the witness of what could have happened to their kingdom and how she had prevented it, joyous just as she could feel the wind returning in blowing.

The spirits had restored Arendelle back to it's normal state then.

Truly, she wished to stay and celebrate with them, for their kingdom was saved and they could return without the fear of the angered spirits, their lives could return back to what it was once.

But Arendelle was not home without her family.

* * *

There was no word exchanged between them.

The Princess had taken Wilhelm -who had been under Mattias' temporarily watch when his father moved to catch her hand and thus saving her life in a way, into her own arms, holding him tight as she silently looked at the Prince Consort, eyes filled with the same grief and sadness that he felt within himself. She had buried her face in the auburn locks of her nephew then, shoulders tensing, and perhaps she was trying to find the comfort of hugging what was left of her sister.

The absence of his son to be concerned over had reduced him into a silent watcher. His eyes followed Kristoff, who had move to approach the Princess, arms wrapping around her figure and the young Prince as well.

He watched as the invisible weight was lifted from the shoulders of the Northuldras and the Arendellian soldiers the moment the mist had been lifted, the curse was broken and they were free at last. He could see the relieved sighs that came from people around him, and yet he could not feel the same, unable to. Elsa was supposed to be there with him, to stand by his side, holding their son as they shared the happiness of finally able to see the clear blue sky once again, to perhaps share a kiss with him and held his hand tight in hers.

"I'm sorry I left you behind." Anna had whispered, though he knew she was speaking to the mountain man that been given her heart. "I was just so desperate to protect her."

He was desperate to protect his wife as well, and yet he was unable to, he was not given the chance to even try and keep her away from the dangers that now had stolen her from him, had stolen a mother from her son, a Queen from her kingdom. Worst, he didn't know whether he was supposed to apologize or expect someone to apologize to _him_. He would have definitely argued with his wife about it, of how reckless she was, of how she had not been careful.

"Thirty-four years,"

"Five months,"

"And twenty-three days."

He didn't hear Anna's footsteps when she approached, far too distracted with the raging thoughts that had only rendered him feeling empty, and had only noticed her presence when she had touched his arm. There was no need for them to speak of a word, as she handed his son back for him to hold. They understood each other's pain, they had lost someone they loved so much, and they knew no comforting words were able to mend their broken hearts.

Sven had run past them, grateful for the open field before them as a change from the constant forest that surrounded him, followed by the other reindeers that belonged to the Northuldra, the sound of children's laughter joining in as they could finally see the world beyond the mist they were born in.

Wilhelm had looked on, he had always found a certain fascination over animals in general, had often babbled so excitedly as his hands reached out to touch their fur, horses or reindeers being the most frequent ones that he met, though when one of the Council men had brought his dog into the castle once he had expressed just the same excitement as he squealed and clapped his hands, waddling toward the equally adorable poodle. Yet this time he had stayed silent, not even seeing the reindeers creating a large circle as they run around had interested him, had instead turned his head away and held back on onto his father, hiding his face away.

The gesture made his heart dropped.

The boy had always seemed to be so attuned with people's feelings, had always able to sense the atmosphere that surrounded him, and would try to comfort people in his own way. But to see _him _so gloomy like so, when nothing seemed to be able to distract him, had made the Prince Consort let out a sigh as he cuddled his son close. He wanted to do something, _anything_, to comfort the boy, but he did not know how. Not when he himself struggled to put on a smile.

Could he be the father that Wilhelm deserved if he himself had been so weak in such situation? Could he be even _half _of the wonderful parent that Elsa was?

He had started to slowly make his way further away from the forest, ready to just go back to where the people of Arendelle were, though he was unsure if he was ready to break the news to them. According to Anna, breaking the dam had meant that they had sent a tidal wave so big that it would wash away _everything _on this fjord, including Arendelle.

What would be left of their home then?

"Hans!" Kristoff's call had broken him out of his train of thoughts, approaching him in a hurried manner. "Have you seen Anna?"

"She was-" turning around, ready to point toward where the Princess had wandered off by herself earlier, he had trailed off when he could not find her standing at the top of the hill that she was supposed to be on. "She was just there, I'm sure of it."

That had settled another panic in both of the men, as they started to run, worried that something bad had happened to the feisty Princess. Had she fallen? Had she slipped on the slippery rocks and hurt herself?

But what he saw was not what he expected at all.

* * *

Anna was there.

She could see her sister's figure running down the rocky hills, stumbling as she made her way toward the beach, and she had urged the Nokk to go faster as her heart raced within her chest. After everything that had happened, seeing her younger sister once again, running for her, had made a slight guilt to settle in her. Because she had pushed her sister away, she broke her promise of doing this -saving the kingdom and the forest, together and had decided to go on her own.

The Nokk could not step out of the water, so the moment she had unmounted, the water spirit had melted back into the sea behind her, though she only had her eyes focused on the Princess standing across from her.

"Is it really you?"

Anna's question had come with disbelief and caution, though she could not blame her for doubting her existence. If she had recalled correctly -and she truly believed it was what had happened, she had died. Froze at the bottom of Ahtohallan, to be exact. So she nodded, giving her sister the affirmation that she needed as she opened her arms. "Anna."

The strawberry-blonde haired Princess ran up to her while the Queen had closed their distance with a slower walk, throwing herself into the older sister's embrace as her cry broke, arms wrapping around her figure so tightly as if she would fade away and disappear if she didn't hold on. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Lost me?" She had pulled away then, just so she could see her sister's face, hands taking hers as neither wished to part. "You saved me." Anna's act of breaking the dam had unfreeze her, had freed her from the death she was sure to have due to her own recklessness.

"I did?"

Reaching up, she had wiped her sister's tear away from her face as she gave her a nod, offering her a reassuring smile. "And Anna, Arendelle did not fall."

The Princess' cry had not yet stopped, though she could see how she attempted to reduce it yet turning it into a fit of sobs and prompting fresh tears to run down her face once again as she sniffed. "It didn't?"

"The spirits all agreed, Arendelle deserves to stand, because of you."

Another sob, this time accompanied with a snort as Anna wiped her nose with her own palm, and under different circumstances she would have scolded her for it. "Me?"

"You did what was right, for everyone." Her sister had been right back then, after they had found the truth about their parents, she could not do this by herself, she needed her sister to save Arendelle _and _Northuldra.

Something crossed over the Princess' expression, like she had suddenly remembered something, and her cry had died down completely. "Did you find the fifth spirit?" The question had made her smile, and even without saying anything Anna had understood the reason behind it. Two sisters, one mind. "You are the fifth spirit. You're the bridge."

"Well, actually, a bridge has two sides. And Mother had _two _daughters." Her hold on her sister's hands tightened in a squeeze as she smiled to express just how having Anna share this with her -instead of her bearing it on her own, felt. "We did this together," at that, Anna had nodded. "And we will continue this together."

Both pressed their foreheads against one another, smiles tugging on their lips. "Together."

"Elsa!" They pulled apart then, as she turned her attention toward the mountain man that had ran toward them -or _her_ to be exact, arms opened wide. "You're okay!"

Kristoff didn't strike her as a hugging person, but he had embraced her so tightly then, and after recovering from her initial shock of his gesture of affection, she had returned the hug by wrapping her own arms around his large figure.

And past his shoulders, she saw them.

He was standing there, across from her, their son in his arms, and he bore the similar face that Anna once had, of disbelief and caution, eyes wide as if he was seeing ghost. Though the latter could definitely what he was thinking at the moment.

Kristoff released her, after realizing that hugging _the Queen _was perhaps not the best idea he had in mind, and she was able to stand before them completely, to show them of her whole body and the fact that she was there.

"Mama!"

She had barely missed Kristoff's foot as she stumbled forward, heart racing and body trembling for an entirely different reason as she came to kneel on the ground, arms opened just as Wilhelm -who had wriggled his way out of his father's embrace the moment he had seen her, fell into her embrace, pulling him as close as she possibly could as she held him, tears stinging against her eyes as she lifted him up as she came to stand back on her feet.

Hans' arms came around her next, enveloping both she and Wilhelm in them, warm and felt like home as she buried her face against her son's auburn hair. It had felt like forever since the last time that she held them like this, to see the little family that she had. "Wilhelm's ice crystal was-" his voice come in a choke then, as his hold around her tightened. "I thought you were-"

"I'm alright, it's alright." She could _feel _the fear in his voice, could feel the race of her son's heart against her own chest, and she understood just how fearful it must be, for her family to witness her magic fluttering away. If Anna had openly cried in front of her, her husband and son had only held her, yet it was enough. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You can't do that to us, Elsa." He deserved to be angry at her, they all did, after what she had done and the trauma that she had put them in. "You can't leave us like that."

"I know." She could feel his hold tightened as she shut her eyes, managing to free one of her arms so that it could wrap around her husband, fingers curling around the fabric of his clothing. "I'm sorry."

"I do hope," Hans started, just as he pulled away to look her in the eyes, though hands had held her upper arms still. "That this thing, this 'putting us in mortal danger situation' is _not _going to be a regular thing."

Rolling her eyes, she had nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Of course not."

They returned back to join the Arendellian guards and the Northuldra after a bit more of scolding was bombarded at her direction by the rest of her family; of how she was not heeding the words of warning in the lullaby that she sung herself almost every night for her son, of how she had put them all in a grieving mess, and how she had basically been so reckless and had put everyone else before herself.

Wilhelm never left her embrace, not even once ever since she had lifted him up, snuggling his head in the crook of her neck, a fistful of her hair in his grasp as she told the Northuldras of how beautiful Ahtohallan was.

"You know," Honeymaren had started as she stood by her side, making her turned her attention away from Yelena who was at her other side. "You can stay up here, if you want, you are the fifth spirit after all."

Here, in Northuldra, where the people embraced magic and possessed high respect of the ancient spirits that guarded the land. Amongst those who were her Mother's people, the life and family that she had left behind to save Arendelle's Prince that was her Father. A place that she felt she belonged in, where she could interact freely with the spirits as they now worked side by side to maintain peace.

"Even if I wanted to, Honeymaren, I could not stay here." She had noted the slight disappointed look that crossed the young woman's face, if only for a moment, but she had chosen to not spoken of it further. "I have a husband I love, a son that needs me, a sister that I could never part away from, a kingdom under my care," her eyes glanced over at Anna and Kristoff who stood a little far off as they spoke with Lieutenant Matthias. "And a, hopefully, future brother in-law that I have to convince in wearing royal suits, if it comes to it."

Besides, even when she was to stay in Arendelle, a place where she had been born and raised in, it did not mean that she could not protect the forest. She would always be there should she was needed to keep the balance between the spirit world and this one, a bridge that she was meant to be. And with Nokk at her service, she could reach the forest far quicker.

She was the fifth spirit, but she was still the Queen of Arendelle as well.

**And we've come to the end of Frozen 2 everybody! Will it be the end of this book though? I'm not sure as I do have a few things in mind to write.**

**Anyway, yes I did change a few dialogues to better fit with the AU.**


	15. An Attempt to Mend

**Surprise, it's not the end. I'm glad you guys like the alternate ending that I decided, it's what's best for them, in my opinion at least. Elsa can be both the fifth spirit and queen, though it may have consequences on it's own.**

**This chapter feels more of a filler chapter, a break between the Frozen 2 sequence and the future.**

"Talk to me."

With the spirits finally settling down as both Arendelle and Northuldra had come into a truce and would live peacefully among one another, the lives of the people had returned back to normal as nature's demand had been fulfilled, with her and Anna both working together as the bridge between them and the mortal world, two sisters standing side by side just like they always meant to be.

It was far easier for her to let people help her, to let them in and share the burden she no longer had to shoulder alone. She could connect with the spirits, she listened and understood what they wanted, while Anna had her ways of connecting with the people, to listen to them, and then they shall put together a way out that would benefit both sides.

Though of course, the incident had not left Arendelle completely unscratched.

She knew the spirits did not mean to destroy the kingdom on purpose, they were merely trying to urge everyone out in case she was unable to stop the flood so that no one could get hurt, but some things were just a tad too delicate and they could not avoid not breaking it.

Thus why the kingdom had been working to fix the damage that was left. Some houses had suffered through a few minor problems, like cracked walls and roofs, but the townspeople gladly work and help each other in restoring their condition back to normal these past few days. Even the royal family had their hands busy.

Kristoff helped both in town and in the castle, using his large build as his own advantage to lift things up and delivering tools and materials necessary to repair any damage they may found. Hans was down at the docks, overseeing the ships as his vast knowledge as a naval officer was a great use in noticing if things had gone awry. Anna busied herself with providing food and drinks for the working men with the women in town, she had tried to help Kristoff once but the lifting truly was not her area of work -especially after she had received a disapproving shake of her older sister's head.

She… well, she mainly worked inside.

As Queen, she handled the paperwork that came to her desk, of the budgeting that rose with all the repairs done, making sure that they didn't lose much profit and yet still able to rebuild Arendelle smoothly. Truly, she wished she could help outside too just like Anna did, but official demands had held her back. Besides, she was not completely alone anyway, as Wilhelm had stayed wherever she was -so mainly in her study, but even during meetings he had joined her, refusing his nannies all together that prompted her to hold him on her lap despite the disapproving looks of her Council.

But could any of them truly blamed the boy? After what had happened, she understood how it had made Wilhelm even more clingy than before.

She thought that all was well, until she noticed that it _wasn't_.

Initially, she suspected that exhaustion from the constant work was what had created a gap between them, and with Wilhelm's current need to _always _have her nearby their nights had been separated by their son sleeping between them.

It was not until the end of the week that she had finally realized that he was acting differently toward her.

Usually, she would have fallen asleep along with their son before he had even returned to their bedchamber, but this time she had remained awake, hand absentmindedly patting the boy's hip as she watched the rise and fall of his chest. Perhaps the sight of her waiting for him had been the reason why his eyes had widened when he entered, though he had quickly composed himself as he made his round around the room, undressing and preparing himself for the night's rest.

His silence, and the way he had avoided her eyes, had been the reason why she had spoken like so.

"Of what, darling?" His tone was sweet, but she could feel the lie behind it. "I've already given you the reports over today's work, no?"

Avoiding topics of discussion had seemed to be a problem they both deeply have in them, and so desperately needed to be fixed. "I don't want to talk about _that_." She patted his side of the bed as she prompted herself up with her elbow, motioning him to join her. He sat down, but he had kept his distance. "Hans, what is it?"

His hand reached out instead, brushing away falling platinum strands of hair out of her face. The gesture was done without much word spoken, but when his eyes had met hers, she had given him a look of insistence that made him let out a sigh, almost tiredly. "It's just… I still need time to process all of this."

"All of what?"

"You died, Elsa." Raw and unfiltered words was spoken, the truth that even she still had a difficult time in accepting, making her shift as she pushed herself to sit up on the mattress now. "You did and then you _didn't_, and people had been treating it as if it was _nothing_." He ran his fingers through his own hair now, a gesture she knew well when he was frustrated. "But it's not nothing. For a moment there, we all thought that you died, that we wouldn't see you ever again."

She swallowed then, jaw tightening. "But I'm _not_, I'm here, with you."

"The damage has been done, Elsa." This had made her brows furrowed, for she could not understand what exactly he was trying to say. What damage? Had they not been working to fix it all? "Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to think that I would have to continue on living without you by my side? How desperate I was?"

She did. She suffered through a bad case of anxiety during his time away from her, when the pirates had posed a threat to their kingdom, when she thought that she would never see her husband again and that he would not have the chance to see their unborn son. But she had stayed silent, as this was not about her but _him_, he was the one that needed to let it all out.

"Look at Wilhelm," and she did, she followed the gesture of his hand, down to the sleeping boy between them whose hands were clenched tightly as they were thrown over his head. "Look at how frightened he is, Elsa. He followed you anywhere and everywhere, refusing anyone else, because he fears that he may lose you again. Have you not realized how traumatized he was?"

She knew that, she had to accept and live with the fact that she had put her son in such distress that was definitely not healthy for a child in such young age, to have her husband threw it right onto her face had only made her chest tightened. "Then what am I supposed to do? What do _you _want me to do, Hans?" Because she had ran out of idea on what to do, what course of action that she had to take to make it all better, to make Wilhelm grow up to be a normal child despite what his mother had inflicted upon him.

"To learn," he took her hand in his, squeezing, as his tone turned soft and gentle when he noticed the tears that had started to form in her eyes despite her best . "To understand that everything that you decided would not only affect you but your family as well."

"I'm sorry."

Hans tugged against their joined hands, urging her to come close, and she had to be very careful in moving across, making sure that she didn't disturb their sleeping son as she made her way around until she could nestle in her husband's embrace, fingers holding tight against the fabric of his shirt as she leaned her cheek against his chest.

He had every right to be angry at her, she had been so selfish with her action and her decisions back then, believing that she could do everything right. And yet, he still held her like so, still run his hand over her back.

His fingers came to hold her chin, tilting her head up as he leaned down to press his lips against hers, hand cradling the back of her head as her arms winded up wrapping around his neck, pulling him close as they rid of the distance -both physical and figuratively, between them.

Their kiss spoke more than words could ever did. She could feel his emotions even when none had spoken of it. She could feel his fear of losing her in the way he held her so tightly, his desperation in the way his lips moved.

"Please, talk to me." His words came in murmur, lips brushing against hers in the close proximity between them. "I can't lose you."

"You won't. I promise."

* * *

"I'm sorry, I'm confused."

In the rare times where she allowed herself to go out of the castle's walls -or rather how her paperwork had let her out of her study, she had taken the chance of overseeing the rebuilding of Arendelle herself, to actually _see _the excellent work her people had done instead of merely looking from afar and from the reports that she read.

She made sure to dress Wilhelm warmly, despite the fact that he had inherit her ability to withstand the cold a mother would always worry for her child, tugging his coat in place before she had lifted him up in her arms and began her short walk to the village, accompanied with just enough guards as to keep her and her son safe but not too much that it would be overwhelming.

The first thing she did was to look for Anna. Which, in turn, was truly not that hard, as her strawberry-blonde hair was unmistakable, striking under the sun. And if her hair had not been enough then her carefree laughter would have been a giveaway, seeing the Princess joked around with the other women as she approached.

And she had to admit that no, overseeing the progress at the town was _not _her reason in coming here after all.

People had greeted her when she had come, and she had nodded and smile in return, excusing herself in disturbing before she had tugged her younger sister along, away from the gathering crowd as she wished to talk to her in private over personal things.

But when she had spoken of what had troubled her mind, of her purpose of coming down from her study, she was only met with her sister's confused look despite the fact that she had been very throughout with her explanation.

"Anna," letting out a groan, she had run her palm over her face while Wilhelm had busied himself with the many snacks that were provided for the workers, though none had seemed to mind the young Prince stealing a cupcake or two. "Hans and I, we-"

"-are facing marital problems, yes, I get it." If she had understood then why did she have troubles in giving her the answer she needed. "Why are you asking _me _about it though? I'm not even married. This is definitely not my forte."

"How are you and Kristoff?"

The Princess' eyebrow rose at the sudden change of topic, lips parting as she took her time in answering. "We're… good? I mean, after everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest, we've been good, no troubles at all. We both have been busy with the tasks you gave us, but nothing out of the ordinary."

"Hans was upset about what happened to me in Ahtohallan."

"No surprise there." The Queen had glared at her sister's nonchalant comment, which in turn had made the strawberry-blonde haired Princess rolled her eyes. "His wife _died _in a place that none could reach, what did you expect him to react? _I _was upset as well, especially when you literally sent me away, but I've let it go the moment you told me Hans had scolded you about it."

"I just," her eyes had darted away from her sister for a moment to see his son receiving a cookie from Mrs. Olsen, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips -if only for a short moment, from seeing the way people had treated Wilhelm so lovingly, before she had turned back at the Princess, lips pursuing this time. "I don't know what to do, Anna."

"Communicate, Elsa, _talk _your feelings out, just like Hans did." When she had merely frowned, the younger sister had thrown her hands up with an elaborate sigh. "You've been married for what, four years? Couples, not just married ones, need to communicate to make things work. The both of you have to talk _and _listen to each other. I'm honestly surprised you two managed to get this far if what you've said about your ability to talk things out was true, because it's bad, Elsa. You really need to discuss things with him, he's your husband after all, and stop deciding on things on your own."

Anna's words were more or else had similar meaning with Hans', and she was almost ashamed about it. Her sister was right, her husband was right, she had to be more thoughtful on each consequence that come with the decision that she took. It would be hard, but she would try.

The Princess reached forward, nudging her chin up until the Queen's eyes returned to look at hers. "We're your family, Elsa, we love you."

"Mama!"

Both sisters turned their heads, just as the young Prince had come waddling back, one cookie in hand. Coming to stand in front of her, he had raised both his hands up in a request to be lifted up, babbling as he was seated on his mother's lap. What she didn't quite expect was that Wilhelm had offered the cookie in his hand to her, lifting it up to her eye's level.

"Why thank you, darling."

But when she had taken hold of it, Wilhelm's fingers had remained curled around it, his brows furrowing. "Auntie Anna!" His other hand raised up, two fingers held up. He wanted her to break the cookie into two, to share with her sister. "Share, Mama!"

"He's literally the embodiment of Prince Charming." Anna cooed as she accepted her half share of the cookie, pinching her nephew's cheek out of pure adoration. "How can you be so cute, Wilhelm?"

The mention of his name, and the fact that he had just been called cute, had made the boy turned toward his aunt, grinning widely. That, and the fact that his cheeks had flushed from the cold air, had made both women's heart melted in awe.

"You should definitely make another one, Elsa."

Taken aback by her sister's bold and sudden words, her eyes had widened before they turned glaring at the Princess. "Anna!"

"What? Just saying." The younger sister shrugged, picking her nephew up after she had finished her cookie in merely two big bites as she stood up, holding him close as she turned her attention to him. "Don't you want a sibling, Wilhelm? A little brother or sister?"

She wasn't sure that the concept of sibling had been truly understood by her son, who had only giggled excitedly as his aunt made funny faces at him. He knew Anna was his aunt, but to what degree? He had called her that because _she _told him to call her 'Auntie Anna' after all.

And even if she wanted to, she was unsure if she _could_.

It took her and Hans two long years before they had discovered she was pregnant with Wilhelm, despite the fact that most women would have turned up with a child shortly after marriage. Her son was nearing the age of two as well, and while she and Hans had never tried to prevent pregnancy, she had not gone through any of the symptoms that would tell her that there was another little one growing within her.

She feared she may only produce one heir.

"Elsa!" The Princess' impatient call had told her that it was not her first time calling for the older sister, though the previous ones had gone unheard. When she had looked up, Anna had already made her way halfway across the field, holding Wilhelm's hand as the boy attempted to get free from his aunt's hold. "Come on, before Prince Charming here manages to escape."

Standing up, she was quick to catch up, lifting her son up despite his whine of protest. "I've told you not to run away, my darling Prince." She moved to kiss his cheek, but his resisting hand had stopped her as his feet kicked around. "Alright, alright." Sighing, she had lowered the boy back down, yet managing to catch his hand before he truly able to escape. "But not too far."

The moment his hand was released, Wilhelm was off running ahead, stumbling every once in a while, as his balance had not developed perfectly, but he was getting better each day and had not cry most of the time when he had fallen down.

The two sisters followed suit, maintaining a distance where Wilhelm wouldn't protest but they were still able to keep their eyes on him.

"He's awfully sprightly." Anna commented, as her arms wrapped around her older sister's.

"It's the sugar."


	16. Husband and Wife

**February 18th, 2020, we've lost one of our fellow Helsa shipper. Rhan was a beautiful young girl who is always so passionate about the things she loved. Her death has hit all of us in the Helsa discord channel, including myself. But she had always loved this series so much and for that I had promised her that I will finish this story.**

Her heart raced within her chest.

Wind whistling past her ears as she broke through the air, loose hair flying behind her as she drunk up this freeing feeling she did not often feel. She felt weightless, light as nature surrounded her. The muffled sound of hooves meeting the ground that had started to freeze filled her ears as she took a deep breath of fresh air, releasing it as her shoulders relaxed, lips tugging into a satisfied smile.

Arendelle's rebuild had been finished, allowing her of the break she deserved as at least half of the paperwork on her desk had been cleared. There was one, regarding of building a new statue at the Royal Square, that still remained undecided on her part. The idea was to have the statues of her parents during their youth, as a symbol of how they had connected Arendelle and the Northuldra through their love for one another. It was a beautiful gesture, truly, but she was still considering it.

She did not have the same experience over riding horses the way Hans and even Anna did, despite the many practice she had gone through living creatures still somewhat made her uncomfortable, especially if she had to ride on it's back.

But the Nokk was different.

There was a connection between them, an understanding between the water spirit and her as the fifth spirit, a trust that had been bound to happen the moment she had discovered herself. The Nokk had allowed her to freeze it's surface, so that he may ride beyond the water, and it was also far more preferable if she was to return home not wet from riding a horse with a body made entirely of water.

A round of giggles made her looked down, smiling at her son who she held securely close to her as he joined her on this refreshing ride across the Enchanted Forest. Hans was still a little wary of the Nokk -and the other three spirits for that matter, and while she could not blame him for his cautious self, she also could not entirely follow with his wish to stay away either. She was the fifth spirit, she was the bridge between them and the humans, her presence was now needed not just among the people of Arendelle but also the spirits and Northuldra.

And Wilhelm was her son, the son of the fifth spirit.

It was intriguing, really, when Yelena had mentioned the fact of it. There was a reason why Wilhelm was able to hear the voice just like she, though the Northuldra leader had not been clear on what it was. The spirits had always been accepting when she had brought Wilhelm with her -as they were still a little hostile toward humans in general especially during bad days, had never been bothered by the fact the toddler had waddled and lingered around her, curiosity often brought him so close to them -she still had to make sure he didn't touch Bruni as the fire spirit was rather dangerous for a child's hands and any hands without ice powers for that matter.

Of course, Wilhelm had been nothing but joyous to have met with the spirits. She was rather glad that he did, as she had been slowly trying to make sure that their journey had not traumatized her son by showing that all was well now and that nature was a part of him, his bloodline has Northuldra in it and she wanted to make sure he will not grow up to despise it.

"Are you sure you will not be staying a little longer?"

Shaking her head, she had given the Northuldra girl a small smile as she held Wilhelm in her arms. They had their misunderstanding when they had first met, but Honeymaren was rather sweet after they had known each other, had adored the young boy and whenever he came to visit the camp. "I can't. Hans is waiting for me back at the castle."

There was always this glint of disappointment that crossed the girl's dark eyes as she casted them downward whenever her husband was brought up, though she had never been one to pester on what it was. "Ah, of course." When she had looked up once again, her mood had returned back to normal. "But you will return here again, yes?"

"When I had the time." She was not one to make promises, especially over something that she could only slip into her busy schedule when she can, but the Northuldra girl seemed to always looked forward in having her visit, so she always tried her best. Besides, riding the Nokk had now become one of her ways to relief herself off the constant stress from her duty ad Queen.

Honeymaren nodded, handling Wilhelm back to her arms. She had dropped by to speak with Yelena, checking in with the tribe's condition and if there was something that she needed to assist with. She had promised to have the Northuldra under her care as well, though they refused to be overly dependent to the kingdom and would only accept help when desperately needed as they wished to still stand as an independent tribe free of any royal politic, which she honored deeply.

Sudden gush of wind circled her in a breeze, a familiar whistle whispered in her ears as Wilhelm reached out toward the flying snow as a mean of greeting.

Winter had made it's way in replacing autumn, as the air grew colder and white snow had settled on the ground beneath their feet. It was such a refreshing change for her, to witness falling snow that came from nature instead of the wave of her hands. Many were unable to tell, but there was always a difference between her ice and nature's, one was of magic and the other organic. She loved inhaling the fresh and crisp air of winter, often finding herself standing at the balcony in the early morning, when barely anyone had been awake, when the village had not been bustling with activities just yet.

The Nokk leapt out of the pond of water behind her, standing just by the water's end, waiting for her, a sign that she was to return back to the castle soon.

"Bye-bye, Hunneymawen!"

The Northuldra girl had let out a laugh as she waved her hand back toward the young Prince who had mounted the frosted water spirit with his mother. Her name was rather difficult for him to say, tongue twisting for a toddler such as he, and while the Queen was still working on teaching him on how to say it correctly, they had to settle with what he could say at the moment, though neither of them really minded the adorable version.

"Bye-bye, Little Prince!"

Wilhelm had been rather fond of their outings outside of the castle's walls, finding courage within himself to meet and interact with other people outside of those that had raised him in the castle, but his separation issue still lingered, though not as severe as he had at least allowed some to hold him other than his parents, as long as he knew that they were nearby and stayed in his line of sight.

Her arm held him a little tighter as the Nokk galloped across the frozen ground, looking down as she watched his auburn hair flew with the wind, messing her earlier work of brushing his hair out of his face, but Wilhelm had seemed so happy, so carefree, and that alone had made her smile as she bent down to place a kiss on top of his head.

Knowing how loved her son was by so many, how people had taken it upon themselves to protect and care for him, made her heart swelled. There had been a fear that gnawed her once, of how the people would treat him badly due to the fact that his mother possessed magic, _a witch _some may call her behind her backs, to despise the young Prince and the possibility that he may be born with powers as well.

"Mama loves you, Wilhelm." With all that she was and all that she had.

Tilting his head back until he could look up at her, the Crown Prince of Arendelle had given a wide smile in return that had deepened the dimples on his cheeks, clear blue eyes gleaming. "Loves Mama too!"

The rest of their short journey was passed rather quickly, as she led the water spirit to bring them to the small door at the side of the castle, the same door she had exited through earlier in the day with her son. They could, of course, exited through the main gates, but it felt too much of a hassle if her people would see her traveling away so frequently on the water horse's back. They accepted of her magic, yes, but she didn't wish to push her luck in normalizing more -including the fact that she was the fifth spirit.

Dismounting, she bowed her head toward the Nokk as it's frost melted away, allowing the spirit to return back into the water as Wilhelm waved his hand as a mean of goodbye.

She had headed straight toward her bedchamber then, climbing up the rounding stairs before anyone could see her -save from the passing servants that had bowed as she passed. As Queen, she was expected to dress appropriately, and while riding clothes were needed to ride, once she was back in the castle, she had to quickly change back into one of her dresses.

Her ladies-in-waiting had been waiting to help her, skilled hands starting to peel the fabrics off her body as Wilhelm was seated at her vanity, curious hands starting to reach for her bottles of perfume.

"Back so soon?"

She had seen him entered on the reflection of the mirror, just as her ladies-in-waiting had finished with their work on pulling her hair back into a tight bun, hands resting against her shoulders as he leaned forward, placing a quick kiss on her cheek as her hand moved to take her crown out of her son's grasp as she held him on her lap.

"Yelena had summarized most of what the Northuldra had been doing." How they, similar to their neighbor, had been rebuilding their own village into a more permanent one instead of having the need to move around once in a while, as now that the curse had been lifted, they could utilize and expand their old technologies once again.

"And what, if I may ask, is in the Queen's schedule for the day now?" Hans had move to take Wilhelm from her then, lifting him up as he pressed a kiss on his cheek, despite the boy's attempt to lean back and avoid his father's assault of affection.

Securing her crown on top of her head, she had glanced over at her own reflection, making sure that she had looked presentable once more, before she had turned to face her husband. "Council meeting. There are still things regarding what my grandfather had did in the past that I need to arrange." He had been viewed as the hero of Arendelle for generations, to reveal what he had truly done would be a problem, but she did not wish to have her people hating on the Northuldra further. "Can you take Wilhelm with you?"

"Of course I can."

The tone he had taken made her brows furrowed, but had decided against question him about it, as she opted to take her focus to her son instead, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek. "Stay with Papa for a little while, alright my dear Prince? Mama wouldn't be long."

Brushing passed him, her hand merely touched his arm before she headed toward the door, taking a deep breath as she assumed her role as Queen once again.

* * *

"She distanced herself."

He was not one to talk about his problems to others, often preferring to think it over and finding the best option for him to take by himself, a habit that he had developed over the course of his life of being the thirteenth Prince of the Southern Isles. Letting himself opened up to others made him felt vulnerable, much like how Elsa must have felt herself, as he admitted that it was one of the similarities that he had with his wife. But he had dared himself to start ever since he was married, at least with her, creating a bond of trust between the two of them, but he couldn't do that now.

Especially not when his problem was _her_.

Something within him had drove him to speak with Kristoff instead, when he had seen him at the stables caring for his beloved reindeer, inviting him for a drink out in town as Anna had stolen his son away from him anyway.

The mountain man had been rather bewildered, to say the least, but had nodded and agreed eventually, feeding Sven one last carrot in hand before he had followed the Prince Consort.

"No," the blonde man shook his head as he took another swig of his drink, setting the glass onto the bar with a loud thump. "You _and _her distanced yourselves." When met with a raise of his eyebrow, as he could not understand how he had come up with that conclusion, the man's shoulders had only rose in a shrug. "Anna told me."

Of course she did. "And what else did she tells you?"

"That you and Elsa have one of the worst communications there is."

Well, _that _he couldn't argue. They had a son together, they had been married close to four years now, and still their own ego and insecurities had held them back from truly opening up to one another. They trusted each other, yes, deeply so, but they still had their own secrets as well. He had even avoided talking about his own family with her most of the time, treating it as if they were barely even there for her to know. But he was not ready to share the dark parts of his life with her, and he doubted that he ever would.

"What do you suppose I should do then?"

"Talk to her."

"I did."

Kristoff's eyebrow rose as he watched him take a swig of his own drink. He had not been drinking in a tavern in a long time, had only did it with the other sailors, and since he had not returned to the sea in so long, he had barely spent his time drinking. "_Really _talk it all out? Or only the ones that you feel comfortable in talking?"

He often sees himself as the man that did not mind coming into situations that was far from being comfortable and preferable, as long as it would benefit him in the end. Ever since he was young, it was his method of survival in the cruel world he had learned he was living in, had taken decision and options that many of his brothers were reluctant in. He was willing in having to be betrothed without much of a protest -unlike some of his brothers that openly expressed theirs even to their own wives, just so he could get away from his kingdom.

But this… this involved the woman he loved the most, the one woman that was like the heaven and earth for him, and yet he found it difficult to take a leap into peeling himself completely off his defenses.

With his silence, Kristoff had nodded knowingly, lifting his hand to call for the barkeeper, ordering another round for the two of them before he turned his attention back to the auburn-haired man with a sigh. "I feel the same." He honestly did not expect that to come from him, and when regarded about it, the mountain man had shrugged. "I've never been too worldly in the ways of woman-wooing."

Now that was intriguing. Yes, he did believe the fact that Kristoff's experience with women would be next to nothing, but he had not expected him to bring the topic up. "How are you and Anna? Didn't you try to propose to her?"

Flush of red spread across the mountain man's face as he adverted his gaze away, clearing his throat as he attempted to hide his obvious embarrassment by drinking. "I-I did, yes."

"And you haven't tried again?" He was making Kristoff uncomfortable now, he could tell, but he wanted to know what he had planned with his sister in-law.

"No." the blonde man shook his head, once again shifting in his seat. "I realized it was not a good time, you know, with everything that happened."

Yes, it truly wasn't.

If he had gone forward with his marriage proposal to Anna, even _after _they discovered that Arendelle was saved when Elsa apparently didn't die in her process in finding the truth, it would not have been wise. And though he was not raised in a castle like the rest of them, he believed that Kristoff still had his manners.

Lifting his glass up, he gestured for Kristoff to do the same, clinking them together before both drowned it in one go.

"Another!"

* * *

"You smell of alcohol."

One thing. She had only asked for one thing to her husband before she had left for her duty as the reigning monarch of this land. This simple thing that he had _assured _her that he could do -and why wouldn't he unable to anyway it was not his first time, and had been one of the things that drove her to keep her calm as she faced her Council as she reminded herself that once she had gone through today's meeting she could perhaps have some time to spend with her husband and her son, to rekindle on their familial bonds that she felt had loosened.

It was not in the expectation to see her son in the arms of her sister, especially not to hear that Hans had left with Kristoff out to the town. She didn't think those two would even get along by themselves.

But she tried to think of it positively, that it was an improvement to have them bonding together, and that as soon as they were finished, they would return back to the castle before she completely lost herself into worrying over his whereabouts and his wellbeing.

He did come home in one piece, but her nose had curled up the moment he came close.

Ever since she had Wilhelm, she had refrained herself from drinking -even the usual glass of wine every meal was replaced, due to her breastfeeding her son, and Hans had also joined in, though he still took occasional drink during parties, just out of formalities.

But this stench…

Her hand on his chest had stopped him from taking another step toward her, keeping him at her preferable distance. "You've been drinking, Hans."

"A little."

It was definitely _not _'a little', not when her own stomach had twisted even from the mere smell of it, when she could see that his eyes were not as sharp, his posture not as straight and at ready, cheeks flushing from his pumping of blood. No, not a little.

Taking another step back, blue eyes examining her husband from his feet and up to his head, before she had narrowed her eyes, shaking her head as she turned around to leave. "I'm staying in Wilhelm's nursery."

"Elsa, I'm not _that _drunk."

Still, she would rather not share a bed with him for the night. Her prolonged avoidance from alcoholic beverages had truly made her unable to stomach the scent, it almost felt like her first few months of pregnancy all over again.

Her choice in ignoring him had only made him moved forward to grab her wrist, preventing her from leaving their bedchambers. It drove her to turn around, lips pursed in annoyance, as she tugged on her hand with no avail. "Sleep it off, Hans."

"No, no," his strength was far greater than hers, and he had pulled her toward him so easily until she was trapped in his embrace. "I want to talk."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"Please?"

The look he had on his face, the seriousness in it despite his state at the moment, had made her let out a sigh as she nodded. "Fine." It was not as if it was late at night, when everyone had fallen asleep and she had planned in sleeping early after putting her son to bed.

Letting him lead her back to their bed, he had sat at the edge, hands holding hers as he looked up to where she still adamantly stood. "I just… I find it hard to open up about myself. Surely you, out of all the people, understood the feeling."

Vulnerability was their weak point, their ego and their need to fulfill people's expectation holding them back. She hated to admit that but it's true.

"But I need you to understand how _terrifying _it was for me to think that I have lost you forever." In their last discussion regarding her 'death', he had referred more to what Wilhelm had gone through, and while that alone had made her stomach twisted with guilt, his tone and the glint in his eyes had only made her heart sunk. She had never seen him like this, so vulnerable and… afraid. Truly afraid, as if he was facing the worst nightmare and he could do nothing about it.

Her initial anger had quickly melted away, as her body lowered to sit down on the bed beside him, hands remaining joined together. Staying silent, she let Hans to gather himself, to speak when he was ready for it.

"For most of my life, I had thought that I deserve nothing but pain and suffering under the cruel life that Fate had chosen for me. I was desperate to get away, even during my youth, that I would do anything for it." He spoke of the cruel treatment that he had received from some of his brothers, how they had belittled him just because he was the youngest of them all, of how his Father did not even bother to _glance _at his way most of the time, of how lonely his childhood was. "Then I met you, I married you and I fell in love with you, even when you still hide yourself away from the world."

Even when she still treated him so coldly, had perhaps even despised their marriage for the pressure that it given her on top of the expectation of being Queen, he had loved her. His hold on her hands tightened, fingers curling as he gave her a small smile.

"And then _you_ love _me,_ you show me what true love was, far greater and far more beautiful than those in fairytales. We had Wilhelm and I started to think that perhaps my past suffering had been one to teach me to appreciate the life I was to be given." That he would willingly gone through each and every pain of his past if it meant that in the end, he would get to love her, again and again.

One of his hands let go of hers, moving up to reach for her face instead, cupping against the side of it as he brought their faces closer together until their foreheads touched. "You are everything for me, Elsa. When that ice crystal started to-" his voice was lost then, held back, and she instead had reached for his own face in a mirroring gesture of caressing his cheekbone with her thumb as a mean of comfort. "It feels like I have lost a part of myself, my heart, and I begun to doubt if life was worth living anymore." He had never feared death before he had met her, had understood and accepted the consequences of being an Admiral, and would have welcomed death like an old friend if it comes to it. This had made her brows furrowed, but he had assured her that he was no longer that same young man. "I never thought that the death of my love would be what destroyed me the most."

"Oh Hans…"

"Please don't leave me, Elsa. I'm begging you."

Her head shook then, slowly, as she moved her arms to wrap around his neck, bringing his face down until their lips could meet, tasting the bitterness of alcohol and yet she had barely registered it. "I wouldn't. I promise, I will always be here with you."


	17. Get This Right

**First of all, regarding what is currently going on with the world, I'm fine, if not rusty in my ability to write, had been busy with college and stuff, though now as we're advised to make as little human contact as possible I'm gonna be sitting at home for a few weeks it seemed. **

The commotion outside of her study's doors was expected. At least, that was what she thought.

There was no denying that after everything that had happened, Arendelle and it's residents were never been the same ever again. The lifting of the curse upon the Enchanted Forest had released those who were trapped inside, letting them return to the lives they once had, though it was proven to be difficult as many years had passed. The relation that she had with the four ancient spirits made sure that every decision that she took would not harm nature and yet still beneficial for the kingdom. The reveal of the dark past that her own grandfather had caused had raised a certain turmoil with her Council _and _her people, as now the golden statue of him in the town was no longer viewed as a symbol of heroism.

Anna had handled the situation with the people, both in telling them about the truth of the past and that they would not let anything similar to what King Runeard had done to happen again. For now, the statue still stood in it's place, though the plan to replace it was underway. Not with _her _statue though, the idea of a large version of her made entirely of gold did not sit well in her mind and she would rather not have her reign immortalized that way.

Her deep talk with Hans was long overdue, and it truly had brought them back together -if not even closer than before as they come to understand each other more, thankfully.

She never thought she would say this but she truly appreciated the paperwork that she had right now. No matter how high the piles were on her desk, no matter how her back was starting to ache from sitting around too much, and no matter how tired her eyes could get from the endless reading; she much preferred this repetitiveness than exploring outside where danger lurked at every corner.

Besides, she was comfortable enough with the cushioned seats and warm tea that was brought in whenever she requested of it, of the calming view outside her window and the warming spring sun against her skin.

Knocking against her door was greet with her call for whoever it was to come in, finding Anja -one of Wilhelm's nannies that he apparently had taken the most liking to, standing by the doorway, bowing her head. "Your Majesty, forgive me to interrupt, but we could not find the young Prince."

Fingers coming to an immediate stop from it's duty of writing across the parchment, her brows had furrowed at the young woman's words. "What?"

"We have searched everywhere but we couldn't find him."

Halfway through Anja's words she had stood up from her seat, already putting away her quill and securing the lid of her ink bottle before she had moved around her desk, fixing her dress on her way as the nanny stepped aside to let her pass through the doorway. "What exactly happened?"

"I was watching over him," there was a glimpse of fear among the panic in her voice, which she couldn't really blame. "I only took my eyes away from him for a moment, and I've told him to stay right where he was, but when I turned back around, he was gone."

The clear disobey of not listening to what he was told to do was strangely _not _as surprising as it was for her, because Wilhelm tend to run away lately. His game was that people chase after him as he runs, giggling all the way as he wanted for them to catch him. Hide and seek was an intentional game, where one of them was to close their eyes and count, allowing the others to hide including him.

But Wilhelm never combined sneaking away _and _hiding before. Perhaps that was what drove her and the rest of the nannies in a verge of worrying. Though she really was trying not to show it, especially in front of the arriving guests, as she made quick through the halls, only managing to give them a small polite smile and a nod as they bowed upon seeing her.

The Great Hall was, thankfully, empty saved from the round tables that the servants had placed, clothed with white tablecloth that reached down to the floor. With light footsteps she made her way across the hall, slow as her ears sharp in listening in, trying to find anything that was amiss. There was a sob, small and quiet, from two tables away at her left, prompting her to raise an eyebrow as she made her way there.

"Wilhelm?" Bending down, her fingers curled at the hem of the tablecloth, lifting it as she peeked inside, finding the pouting boy sitting underneath. "There you are. Would you like to come out?" Reaching out, she offered her hand for him to take, but he had shaken his head. "May I come in then, please?"

At his silent approval of head nodding, she had crawled underneath the table as well, letting the tablecloth to hide their presence. Sitting underneath tables were more of an Anna's thing, but if she was to do it for her son then she would, even when her head was merely inches away from the wooden bottom despite the fact that she was already bowing it as she sat on the floor.

Wilhelm had crawled and snuggled against her side then, arms did their best in holding against her as her own arms wrapped around him in a form of comfort. "What are you doing here?"

"There's so many people, Mama." His voice of complain was low, in a murmur, as he watched his own finger toyed with the rosemaling embroidery on her dress, tracing the design on her stomach. "I don't like so many people."

Her son had sounded so much like her when it came to having a crowd of guests. "They're here for you, darling." Just like they did for his baptism and every other event afterward, but perhaps it had been a little overwhelming for him now that he had grown and becoming more aware.

The auburn-haired young Prince had looked up then, with wide pleading eyes. "But I don't want to turn three, Mama."

"Why not?" His eyes casted downward, once again paying more attention to the design of her dress rather than her face, lips moving in a mumble that she unfortunately could not catch. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"I don't want to grow up!" Wilhelm's exclaim had been accompanied by his whine as he finally looked back up at her to reveal his apparent distress. "People say I'm grown and I won't be your baby anymore! I don't want that!"

Honestly, a part of her wished to laugh at the silly reason behind this, but her laughter was the last thing her son needed of her, so she had gathered him close in her arms instead, holding him tight. "Wilhelm, you'll always be Mama's baby, okay?"

"Even when I'm as old as Papa?"

"Even _after _that." Though she could tell that once he had grown up, he would probably regret ever asking this. Either way, it had brought a smile on his face, and that was what she needed the most at the moment. "How old do you think Papa is?"

"Very!"

Not quite the answer she was looking for, but Wilhelm was still learning his numbers -especially high ones such as his parents' ages, so she supposed the answer was appropriate for now. Wiping her son's face, she had given him a smile of her own, relieved that this had not turn into a lengthy tantrum.

"I'm not _that _old!"

The exclaim, as well as the sudden removal of the white tablecloth as her husband's head plopped into view, had made her jump until the top of her head crashed against the bottom of the wooden table with a rather loud sound, sending a jolt of pain as her hands came to soothe it, thankful that she was not wearing her crown as she would rather not imagine how _that _would end up.

"Hans!"

"I'm so sorry!" The auburn-haired Prince Consort had scrambled down onto his knees, in panic as his attempt of surprise had turned rather bad -honestly what did he expect from surprising a grown woman sitting underneath a round table? "Are you hurt?"

Wrong question. Glaring up at him, her nose had scrunched up as she still feel the faint pulsing of pain under her hair. "You think?"

"Papa, you naughty!" Wilhelm had crawled over to him, just so he could smack his Father over his shoulder with a scowl on his face, before he had turned his attention back toward her, small hands trying their best in comforting her by patting her cheeks. "It's okay, Mama, you will be okay."

The sweetness of her son alone could really dismiss of any pain she had in an instant, as the boy threw his arms around her in a comforting hug, and when her eyes met those of her husband's over their son's shoulder, she could not help but sticking out her tongue at him while he himself rolled his eyes.

"Don't Papa get a hug as well?"

The auburn-haired boy had released his hold against his mother then, turning around to once again return to his father, arms wrapping around his neck as he returned the gesture sweetly. "But how did you find us, Papa?" it was a question that she was starting to wonder as well, as she was sure that they both had been keeping their voices low.

"Well, Mama's skirt doesn't exactly provide total discreet in hiding." Hans chuckled, as he gestured at the rest of her skirt that had apparently peaked past the white tablecloth, trailing on the wooden flooring as a dead giveaway to those who may have been looking for them. "Maybe she should stick to the seeker's role, yes?"

Rolling her eyes, she had only shoved her husband lightly on his arm as she made her way out of the hiding place she and Wilhelm had occupied earlier, running her hands over her dress to dismiss of any dust or wrinkle that may have appeared as Hans held their son against his hip.

"The Council has been looking for you." The Prince Consort had allowed his free arm to circle around her waist as he pulled her close, lips pressed in a gentle kiss against her temples. "It raised quite the alert when both the Queen and the Crown Prince had suddenly 'disappeared'."

"I'm sure it has."

* * *

"Do spare me mercy, oh mighty Lord!"

With the newfound share of duties between the Queen and the Princess -of how they cooperate in bridging the nobles and the people in the last year since their journey into discovering the truth between Arendelle and the Northuldra and saving their kingdom in the process of it all, the Princess had often found herself to be more busy than she ever had before, with more responsibilities that she now had to face and handle in her hope of helping her older sister and keeping her from overworking herself.

She never complained, even when she had less time to just relax herself as now whenever she had come out to the town there was always a reason for it, it gave her a purpose of being the Princess, it made her less feeling as if she was merely the spare that her parents had should something was to happen to Elsa. Besides, she always loved meeting the people, loved to interact with them and to help with whatever she was able to.

It did mean that she would be away from the castle most of the time during the day, and while Kristoff did dutifully accompany her to wherever she was going if he was not harvesting ice up in the mountains, it was her beloved nephew that she missed the most.

Thus why when she had seen him playing in the Recreational room with a harmless wooden sword that she often see him playing with his father, she really could not help but snuck behind the boy that had grown so much and yet remained forever her adorable nephew, the exhaustion of having spent her whole day outside suddenly forgotten as her fingers found themselves tickling his sides until his cheerful laughter burst.

Wilhelm was a smart boy though, and soon enough he was able to turn the table around until he had leapt for her instead, driving her into lying down onto her back on the floor as he returned the favor until tears gathered in her eyes and her sides were starting to hurt from all the laughter.

"Never!" the auburn-haired boy declared with a delightful laugh as he continued with his assault.

Catching the sight of platinum-blonde hair out of the corner of her eyes had never been more relieving as she turned her head around, seeing her older sister lurking at the doorway. "My Queen, save me!"

It was apparent that Wilhelm had not noticed his mother's presence, for the moment she had called out for her, his head and whipped up as a wide grin grew on his face, tickling his aunt abandoned as he had basically made a run for it for his mother out of excitement, and she had rolled onto her stomach just in time as he crashed against her sister's legs, arms wrapping around them in a hug as Elsa chuckled while she bend forward for her son.

"I leave you for five minutes, and already you've caught your Auntie Anna." The platinum-blonde haired Queen chuckled as she combed her fingers through her son's hair before she turned her attention to her younger sister. "Have you just arrived, Anna?"

Nodding, she pushed herself up, dusting her skirt for any sort of dirt that may have clung. "Have you seen Kristoff?" he had excused himself to return to the castle earlier than she, and though she expected to see him when she returned, she couldn't find him anywhere.

Her sister's brows furrowed, just as she took Wilhelm's hand in hers. "I'm not sure."

"He's in the gardens!" The boy pipped up, "He's dressed up really nice too!"

Now that was odd. Kristoff _rarely _ever dressed up, even during social events -not even Wilhelm's third birthday a few weeks ago had been able to get him to keep his suit on for the whole day, especially not when he was the one who did it himself, without anyone needing to tell him to.

Even Elsa had found it odd, as one of her eyebrows had rose in question as she looked down at the young Prince. "Did he?" It earned her a nod of excitement from him, and his request to go with his aunt to find him, which in turn had the Queen shaking her head as she lowered herself into a kneel so she could be in the eye-level with her son, touching the tip of his nose with a smile. "Not until your bath, my darling Prince."

"I better see what he's up to." Whatever it was, it must have been something big if it worth for the Ice Harvester to put on his suit. "I'll see you at dinner, Elsa."

"Good luck, Anna."

Parting ways with the Queen and the young Prince, she made her way toward where the royal gardens were. The sun was starting to set outside the windows as she walked past, casting warm atmosphere of orange sky as she tucked the loose strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear.

Her heart rate had suddenly picked up with the raising nervousness that had overcome her with each step that she took, but she tried to mask it all, especially when she walked past the servants that come and go around the halls, smiling warmly at their respectful bows.

She talked about this with Elsa before, had tugged the older sister aside in the late of the night to pour out what troubled her heart, and though they both had this conversation once already in the Enchanted Forest as they searched for the truth that lies beneath the deep history of their kingdom and bloodline, she still needed to hear her older sister's reassurance, perhaps even looking for another way out.

Though the latter had seemed to be impossible to find, as her answer had been the same as ever.

_A commoner man could not propose to a Princess._

* * *

"Anna looks a little sullen."

Although it was usually the duty of his nannies when it comes to bath times for the young Prince, she still found herself taking over every once in a while, should she could spare some of her time away from her Council, for she loved watching her son play in the bath as her gently washed his hair throughout each layer of it -and there was _a lot _considering the fact that the thickness of his hair had come from hers. And Wilhelm loved talking about his day, now that his vocabulary had grown so much, and she enjoyed listening to each and every activity that he did whether it was with his parents or his nannies.

Drying the boy off with a warm towel, she had kissed his flushing cheeks before she carried him out and into his own nursery, noting how his nannies had laid out his clothes at ready on his bed.

She had barely finished buttoning up his shirt when her husband had entered with his comment following suit. Turning to look at him, she had only given him a shrug. "Can you blame her? She's been facing this turmoil since we were in the Enchanted Forest."

"Is Auntie Anna going to be okay, Mama?"

"Of course she will, Wilhelm." Hans chuckled as he approached, ruffling his son's hair with such affection that the Queen had remained quiet saved from the narrowing of her eyes as he had basically ruined her work of brushing his hair. "We'll just need to figure out the best way she and Kristoff can be together."

"But they're already together." The young Prince had tilted his head in confusion then, as he looked up at his father, brows furrowing. "They're like you and Mama!"

Her fingers had combed through her son's hair in an attempt to tame the mess her husband had made while her other hand playfully pinched his cheek. "Not quite there yet, darling. They're not yet ma—"

"Kristoff, it's okay! Come back!"

The shout coming from right outside the door, followed by hurried footsteps, had made both adults paused, exchanging silent looks before they made their way toward the door, though they were not quick enough in opening it, as they could only catch a glimpse of the Princess turning at the corner at the end of the hall, most probably chasing after the Mountain Man.

"We should chase after them, right?"

"I think we should."

So they did, though they had left Wilhelm behind as neither wished for the boy to accidentally ruined whatever it was that happened between the Princess and the Ice Harvester -with a promise that they will be back as soon as they could, making quick way through the halls though held themselves from running as having Anna knowing that they were following them did not sound like such a good idea.

Walking past the tall glass door leading to the balcony, Hans had suddenly taken hold of her wrist, halting her as he earned himself a question look from her, but he had simply gestured toward the balcony, no doubt having seen something that she had failed to notice.

Looking down, she could see the two figures in the gardens -it was such a wonder how they could manage coming down from the castle _that _fast, just as the larger figure had turned around and starting to walk away.

"What—" He couldn't walk away!

"Wait!" Anna's voice was surprisingly loud enough for even the pair of spying couple to hear all the way from the balcony. "Kristoff Bjorgman of Arendelle," her call had made him stopped in his track, though he still refused to turn around and face her, and Anna had used the opportunity to pluck a single rose from the bushes -the gardener would not be pleased, lowering herself down to one knee.

Wait. No way.

"Will you marry me?"

She did not.

The hand on her shoulder prevent her from voicing something that she would regret, as she looked over at her husband, only to find that he had a reassuring expression over his face. "Technically," he started with a shrug, as he smiled at the sight of the two _newly engaged _shared a kiss. "It's the royal who propose, so all is well."

But still.

Hans must have sensed her lingering doubt, for even when she was indeed happy for her sister, the doubt about how the Council would take it still gnawed on her mind, and he had taken her chin in his hold then, thumb caressing her lower lip. "If we're not betrothed, you would have been the one required to propose, no?"

That was true. As royal marriages had only allowed for the higher ranking to propose to the lower and not the other way around, seeing the fact that she was Queen while Hans was only a Prince, it was expected that should they were not tied in the betrothal arranged by their parents and wished to marry then technically _she _would have been the one to propose to him.

Her silence was taken as her confirmation that she knew and understood what he was saying, and Hans had nodded understandingly. "Then it is not wrong for Anna, who is the Princess, to propose to Kristoff, who is a commoner -the lower ranking in this scenario."

"Let's just hope that the Council can accept that theory."


	18. Wind Beneath My Wings

**There's a reason why this story is now M-rated.**

**Also oops, didn't realize I made Wilhelm speak too clearly. I have minimum to zero knowledge over children, my bad, Guest!**

"Why am I nervous? Do I look nervous?"

Ever since the Princess' impromptu proposal in the castle's gardens, the news of her engagement had been tightly kept silent by the Queen, mostly because she did not wish for people to bombard her nor Anna with questions that she was still trying to figure a way of answering. Even with Hans' theory regarding the fact that Anna technically had not broken any rules _yet_, knowing her Council she doubted they would accept the news just like that.

But it had been exactly two days since then, and her younger sister longed to wear the ring that Kristoff had given to her –a beautiful golden band with an orange stone as the main focus that Kristoff had claimed to remind him of Anna's hair, in public, to show it off for the world to see and declare herself to be a soon to-be married woman. She… didn't have the heart to see her sister's wide turquoise eyes, even when she herself had not speak a word of it she could tell from the look that she had and the way she would take out the ring from her pocket to glance at it when she thought no one was watching.

So it was decided that today, this very day, she would take Anna to her meeting with the Council instead of discussing it herself, perhaps letting the Princess –who naturally was better in term of speaking with people anyway, explain herself in hope that she could soften them enough to accept this marriage.

"A little." Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see how the strawberry-blonde haired Princess rocked on the balls of her feet, fingers fidgeting with each other, and her own hand had moved to take hers, offering a reassuring squeeze. "But it will be alright." Was that meant for the Princess or for herself, she did not even have the care to find out.

The Council will accept this, they had to, because she was going to work tirelessly in convincing them, all for Anna's sake.

Arriving at the doors leading for the meeting room, she unfortunately had to let go of her sister's hand, clasping both of hers in front of her as she straightened her back and pulled her shoulders back, composing herself as the Queen that she was as she nodded at Kai for him to open the doors for her and the Princess.

The bombardment of arguments, protests, disagreements, and even doubtful comments over Kristoff's capability of being married to the Princess, was expected as soon as the words of the news had left her lips as well as Anna's. The Council consisted of older men who held ancient rules highly after all, they believed that to keep monarchy in check and above it's people then they must follow the law that had been older than her and even her parents –or even her parents' parents for that matter.

Not to mention Anna, as a woman, had been the one who got down on her knee and proposed.

"It's outrageous, Your Majesty!" One had argued.

"It's improper, unladylike!" Another added.

This was perhaps the first time that she had ever seen her younger sister _cowered_ before a crowd as she had basically pressed herself back against her chair, trying to let the earth swallow her whole as long as she could get away from here. These men were obviously not the same as the people she often faced. And the look that she had on her face, the dejected, _solemn_, expression that she had broken her heart.

Had Anna truly given up?

"Although," Lord Melbourne's voice had made her turned her head around, not only because he had been silent most of the time but because the tone that he held was of… consideration. "I suppose Her Majesty's claim has been true, the Princess had only taken the course of action that the Queen would if she was not tied in the binding of betrothal."

She had not expected any sort of defense, especially not from the man who had seemed to disagree with her the most throughout her reign, one who always had something against her words.

"But the royal lineage-"

"—has been secured with Prince Wilhelm." Not only that she had found her confidence of seeing the light at the end of this, one that her younger sister deserved, she also found a certain satisfaction to know that she could twist their once demand of her years ago into something to argue back at them. "He is, by his birthright, the heir to the throne. When he is of age or something unfortunate was to befallen me, he will be King."

"And _if _something unfortunate was to happen to him?"

She hated the fact that she even had to consider that, of her son in harm's way, but she bit down the inside of her cheeks as she took a deep breath, remaining calm. "I can assure you, gentlemen, that my son's safety had always been my priority, nothing will happen to him if I can help it." And if they could not see that then they were all fools in believing a mother would not sacrifice everything for her child.

"Besides," Anna had sat straighter in her seat now, shoulders pulled back mirroring hers. "Marrying Kristoff does not make me less of a royal, does it? I would still fulfill the duties that my sister had trusted me in handling."

"Princess Rapunzel of Corona married a commoner, Sir Eugene Fitzherbert, and they faced no problem over that." True, that Eugene was actually a Prince by the name Horace, but his kingdom, _the Dark Kingdom_, had been considered nothing but a myth until he and Rapunzel themselves had discovered it. And even then, the kingdom had barely existed in the history books that some nation did not even considered it existing at all.

Hushed murmurs were exchanged between the men, doubtful still but they were less strained as they took each word spoken into consideration. Underneath the table, she could feel Anna's uncertain fingers brushed against hers, perhaps wondering whether she was supposed to do so, and she had taken her hand in assurance, glancing her way with a nod as she held her younger sister's hand on her knee.

Her heart rate picked up when the men had turned their attention back toward the two of them, seemingly had come into a conclusion they agreed upon, though each had an unreadable expression that she could not clearly read.

"Considering that you do offer realistic arguments," Lord William, one of the oldest members of the Council that had even served under her Father before he had served under her, had started, and her hold on Anna's hand tightened underneath the table. "We suppose that this marriage would not cost as much trouble as we may have originally expected."

"Wait," Anna's hand slipped off her grasp as she leaned forward, palms pressing against the surface of the table. "Does that mean-"

"Yes, Your Highness, you can marry Sir Kristoff."

* * *

Anna was strangely quiet still.

With the meeting having been dismissed shortly after the decision had been made, the two sisters had been the first ones to leave through the doors before anyone else -a custom for the royals to be the last to arrive and yet first to depart, she had expected for the strawberry-blonde haired Princess to jump up into the air as soon as they were out in the halls and the doors were shut behind them, and thus having to have her scold her over it. But instead she had barely spoken a word, had done nothing but tail behind the older as they made their way toward the Queen's private study.

Something was bothering her younger sister, enough that she didn't even had the need to celebrate on the one thing that she had been wishing for, and she would be a fool to let it dampen Anna's whole character.

So with the shutting of her study's door, she had crossed her arms over her chest, looking at her younger sister with furrowed eyebrows. "What's wrong, Anna?"

The Princess, who had entered first, had wandered aimlessly around the room, hands brushing over lined-up books on the table far to the left wall, lips pursuing as she shook her head, although she could see the distant look that she had on her face. "Nothing, Elsa."

"Anna."

The tone that had held her name made the Princess turned toward the Queen, and though she was good at many things, hiding her feelings was not one of them. "It's just," sighing, as she too had realized of the fact, the strawberry-blonde haired Princess made her way back toward the older until she stood right before her. "The Council… You handled them so well."

"I've handled them close to six years now." And now that she had spoken of it out loud, she could not believe that time had passed so much since her coronation, many things had changed -thankfully most of them had been for good, and she supposed her reign would continue on until she was grey and old, perhaps as old as some of the Council men.

"Still!" Anna threw her hands up in the air, barely missing the older and smacking her across the face, turning around as she made her way toward the mahogany desk at the other end of the room, leaning against it as she had turned to face the Queen once more. "I've underestimated them, I never thought they would be that hard to convince, no wonder you often ended up so stressed because of them! I can't imagine how I would do if I were in your position."

Should things had not ended up well with her sacrifice in finding the truth a year ago, Anna _would have _been in her position, for Wilhelm was still far too young to assume the crown and title, and Arendelle's law would prevent Hans from ruling even when he was her husband for there was still the Queen's younger sister present. Anna would have been Queen with a crown resting on top of her head and a large responsibility for her to shoulder, though it may not have been this Arendelle that she would rule, not when no one was there to stop the flood from washing away everything on this fjord.

But she was not to think of that, she was supposed to put the past _in _the past, to not torture herself with the what-ifs that had been proven wrong.

"I'm not like you, Elsa." Anna's tone had lowered down, as well has her head that now had hung low as she fiddled with her own fingers, eyes avoiding her gaze. "I could never be like you."

The Princess had spent a large portion of her life in her shadows, always walking a step behind, had only been known as the Snow Queen's younger sister, despite everything that she was.

"Hey," approaching her, she had taken hold of the Princess' chin, tilting her head up until she could meet her turquoise eyes. "You are stronger than I am, mentally _and _physically, I mean who else can lift such large pumpkin as if it was nothing but you?" the memory had made the younger sister unable to hold back the small chuckle that came escaping through her lips. "You have the strength that I don't possess. You have a far larger heart than anyone else in Arendelle, able to love and embrace anyone alike and able to set aside differences that could have divided people until they were united instead." And it was true, Anna was the one who was able to maintain the peace in Arendelle, to keep their people happy. "If anything, _you _are everything I would like to be."

Anna sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "You don't mean that. You're the great Queen Elsa of Arendelle."

Her eyes rolled at her sister's added title, amused smile playing over her lips. "But I do. If I can be half of what you are, I would have been very happy."

Pulled into a sudden hug, as the Princess had thrown her arms around her and held her tightly, she had let out a surprised gasp before her shoulders relaxed and her own arms came around her sister's figure. "I love you, Elsa. You're the best sister I could possibly ask for."

"And I could say the same thing about you, Anna." She chuckled, patting the top of her strawberry-blonde hair lovingly. "I love you too." When they had pulled apart once more, she had cupped her younger sister's face, squishing her freckled cheeks. "Now, cheer up, you silly. We have an engagement ball to plan."

And this time, a wide grin had spread across the Princess' face.

* * *

Rain fell steadily outside of the large triangular window.

Darkness had blanketed the kingdom as the hour struck late, though the stars had not made their appearance due to the heavy clouds hanging over the sky, replaced by the few blinking lights coming from windows of the houses down below the village and the lamps down the streets. The waters at the fjord was not as peaceful, as the pouring rain created countless repeating ripples on the surface as the docked ships swayed.

Even the castle itself was quiet, as servants had retired back to their sleeping quarters, resting for the day awaited them ahead where work would continue on. The preparation for the engagement ball between the Princess and her beloved was already underway, though it was still in it's early stage as many were still needed to be handled.

Fingers curling around the pillow underneath her, she could feel her nails digging into the soft material as she kept her eyes shut, hips buckling as her lips parted, chest heaving with each heavy breath that she let out.

His teeth grazed against the skin of her neck, down to where it met with her shoulder, _biting_ as she let out a sound, small and quiet, surprised. He knew of her sensitive spots, each and every one of them over her body, had studied and explored every inch of her skin in the six years of their marriage.

It had sounded so long, their marriage, and yet at times like this -where their hips moved with one another and the sensation of skin meeting skin made her insides clenched, it always felt like they were new to this. They had never seemed to meet the point of where they were bored or tired of one another, the spark between them had always succeeded in igniting the burning desire that fueled their moment of intimacy.

"Oh…! Hans–!"

His answer had been a kiss, deep and open-mouthed over her own gaping lips, his tongue meeting hers until her head swirled when he had reached down and gave her an extra pressure over _there_ until her legs tightened their hold against his waist. The reaction had made him grin, not that she could see it but more into _feeling _it against her lips, and seemed to prompt him to thrust harder until she almost, _almost_, cried out.

But Hans loved that about her, her attempt of keeping things quiet, how determined she was about it. And he _teased_. God, he was the worst at that. Because he knew what to do to drive her at the edge, he knew what would build the pressure in the lower part of her stomach until she lost her words, with his fingers and his mouth and the occasional change of angle as he lifted her hips just a little higher until she was completely breathless and her legs _shook_.

Clenching her teeth, her whole body seized, head thrown back as she came undone with her husband's body bending over her, hovering as he followed closely behind, groaning into her chest as he held her close.

Filling her up, with that same warmth that made her heart swelled, her own arms had relaxed, coming to wrap themselves around him as her fingers combed through his hair. And when their eyes met, when the icy blue met with forest green, there was this unexplainable thing that was wordlessly exchanged between them, and they had shared this similar smile -content and full of love.

"The rain hasn't stopped." She had turned her head to the side, to watch the darkened sky, after both had settled down comfortably, snuggling close against her husband's side as he held her.

His respond was a low hum, the tips of his fingers brushing lightly against the bare skin of her back. "If it continues on Wilhelm will _definitely _begs you to play outside."

The idea made her nose scrunched up, not because she didn't enjoy playing with her son -she would do anything for him really, but because she didn't particularly _like _playing in the rain. When she was young, yes, but now the thought of her drenched from head to toe, dress clinging to every curve of her body, all just felt so… unflattering. "Anna can take him, if that's really what he wants." Throwing the responsibility to her younger sister did sounded a little cruel, but if anyone was to enjoy the rain -or any sort of situation given at her, it would be the Princess.

Hans' laugh rumbled within his chest, amused. "Would you rather spend your time with me then?" He suggested, with an all-knowing look in his eyes and a teasing smile tugging on his lips. "One that involved less clothing, wet or not, just like this? Of how I hold you against me and-"

"Stop." Unable to contain her own laughter, she had given his arm a light smack, rolling her eyes. "It's late, Hans."

"Really? I haven't noticed." The sarcasm only earned him a glare for her, sharp as she narrowed her eyes, head shaking in disapproval. "Very well," pampering her jawline with feather-like kisses, the auburn-haired Prince had tugged the covers over them both. "Good night, My Queen."

"Good night, My Admiral."


	19. Setting Sun

It was never in her thought that she would see it again.

Weeks of planning and preparation had brought them to this very day where the sky up above was clear and blue, light white clouds providing shade from the warm sunlight should the people need it, the breeze blowing gently against her skin as she had come down to the courtyard this morning. Such a bright and nice day to be out and about, inhaling fresh air that the nature had offered up to the people of Arendelle.

Though as beautiful as the day was, she was required to return back into the castle, behind the walls as she ventured through the busy halls where servants come and go, briefly bowing their heads at the sight of her passing through. This was probably one of the most important events to be hold by the royal family, honorable and long-awaited.

Some people may even be more excited than any others.

The signature knock belonged to her younger sister, that same rhythm that she had heard over and over again during her separation with the Princess. She had not personally used it herself, but the atmosphere that the day had brought upon her made her heart felt so light and at ease, enough for her to let loose of her regality as Queen, if only just a little.

Two separated giggles came from the other side of the door, amused, before she had turned the knob and pushed the door, allowing her entry to the dressing room. The Princess was standing in front of the tall standing mirror, grinning from ear-to-ear when her eyes had settled on the Queen, surrounded by her own ladies-in-waiting as they each assist her.

"How's the dress, Anna?"

"It's wonderful!" Her exclaim was accompanied by a small twirl, enough to make the skirt flare around her legs. As per her request, the engagement ball was to be held to be more down-to-earth, involved the people more than overboard guests, and for that the strawberry-blonde haired Princess was allowed the dress that matched the theme better, light and easy to move in rather than having heavy fabrics weighting her down and holding her back from dancing around the courtyard this afternoon.

_"It's a nice change," _she had calmly reasoned with the Council when the idea of a more modest party was to be held in the honor of the engagement between the Princess and her beloved. Anna had not been present in the meeting as she found no need to bring the soon-to-be bride, not in this matter anyway. _"Let the people celebrate with us, show them that we as royals do not distance ourselves from them."_

Her eyes looked around the room after Anna's attention had been turned back to fitting her dress after her ladies had lightly scolded her over her sudden movement earlier, until she had found the shock of auburn hair by the large wardrobe, where the young Prince had been sitting on the carpeted floor, occupied with the few toys that had been brought for him to entertain him as he accompanied his aunt.

Making her way to approach him, she had lowered herself down to sit in front of him, fingers combing through his hair in a gesture of motherly affection as he looked up and grinned at her.

"Mama, look!" he had reached for something behind him, grabbing whatever it was he had hidden from her, before he had held up the familiar doll that had made her eyes widened in shock.

"Where did you get that?" That penguin doll, knitted and stuffed by hand in the color of black and white with small orange parts for his beak and legs as well as his three hairs made of threads, one eye made of a button while the other was not, had made her jaw clenched as she almost, _almost_, recoiled from it when her eyes had settled on his cloak made of-

Perhaps seeing her reaction, Wilhelm's smile faded, replaced with confusion and even the slightest of fear as he lowered the toy back down. "Mama?"

"Wilhelm, darling, where did you get that?"

Anna must have been listening to their conversation, or perhaps had not but had felt the sudden shift in atmosphere, for she had somehow came to sit by her side, a hand placed on her shoulder. "I found it."

"Where?"

The expression on her younger sister's face was almost sheepish, as she rubbed her hand against the nape of her neck. "In the passageways, at the bottom of your trunk, one that held your childhood belongings."

"What were you even doing, going through my belongings like that?" Her things were supposed to be private, no matter how many years had passed since she even laid a hand on them, and she didn't expect for someone to rummage through.

"I was bored and wanted to find something interesting." Anna admitted, gnawing on her bottom lip. "But I promise, I had washed it with my own hands before I gave it to Wilhelm!"

Well, she supposed that a mere doll was harmless for her son to have, especially since it once belonged to her. Sighing in defeat, she had nodded. "Very well." Turning her attention toward the young Prince, she had lovingly pinched his cheek. "But you must promise me that you will take care of him, alright?"

The blue eyes belonging to her son had lit up then, as his grin returned while he hugged the stuffed toy close to his heart. "What's his name, Mama?"

"His name is Sir Jorgenbjorgen."

Wilhelm's lips parted at the name, brows furrowing. "Really, Elsa?" The Princess pipped up, with the same utter confusion that she shared with her nephew. "Your childhood toy is named _Sir Jorgenbjorgen_? Do you not have a more complicated name than that?"

The sarcasm in her sister's words made her frown herself, as her arms came to cross over her chest. "He was the main character of my favorite book as a child." She defended, a little offended. Yes, she will admit that the name was a little hard to pronounce, especially for children and even her when she had first read the fictional tale of his knightly adventures, but she liked him. "Spare him a little respect."

Something crossed the Princess' eyes, a glint of mischief perhaps, as the corners of her lips had suddenly tugged into a smile. "Ooh, I didn't think you would have a childhood crush over fairytale characters, Elsa."

"Oh, shut it, Anna."

"Is he like Papa?"

She honestly did not think that Wilhelm would have an interest over his mother's childhood story, as she barely ever mentioned it –saved from the ones that she shared with Anna which was only a handful unfortunately for them, neither she and Hans had told their stories to him, believing it was a little too early for their young son to hear.

But she supposed she should have expected it, as children were known to be curious over everything, especially during Wilhelm's age.

It took her a moment to think it over, both to remember Sir Jorgenbjorgen's tales and to try and match them with her husband. "In some ways." She decided to conclude, smiling as the young Prince came crawling toward her, no doubt wishing to hear more as he thrown himself against his mother's lap while the Princess had been called upon by her ladies so that they could do her hair. "They're both so very brave, they're not afraid to fight for those they love." Sir Jorgenbjorgen fought for his friends and his country, Hans the same with the addition of their family here in Arendelle. "They both are willing to work hard to achieve what they wish."

"I want to be like that, Mama!"

Wilhelm's innocent and simple wish had made her smile as she wrapped her arms around him, kissing the top of his head. "And you shall, my darling Prince."

As she waited for her own ladies-in-waiting to prepare for the dress that _she _was to wear this afternoon, she had joined in with her son's play of pretend, using his toys and giving addition with her own power for figures that they needed. And when they were finally ready for her, she had got up, kissing her son on the cheek as she promised that they would continue this, once she was done with her dress.

"So, the Council really is okay with this kind of celebration?" Anna asked from the vanity, for what felt like the hundredth times, though she had allowed the younger sister to confirm this over and over again, as long as it could reassure her. Her answer was only a nod and a smile, as one of her ladies worked on lacing up her corset. "You really showed them who is Queen, huh Elsa?"

Rolling her eyes playfully, she probably would have elbowed her younger sister for the obvious pointing out. "As long as you, as promised, have the wedding in a more... formal way."

"I will, I will."

She could not believe that Anna, her dearest younger sister, had grown so much. She was no longer the little girl that would often jump onto her bed and demand for playtime, no longer the one that would whisper for her to skip out of her tutoring session so both could play under the sun, no longer the Princess that had only thought about having fun and to have a life without a responsibility, one that could wander through the halls, running and dancing as she did.

Well, she still did _sometimes_, but much had changed as well. She matured in her way, had taken more duties as she assisted the Queen in ruling over the kingdom. And she was to be someone's wife, she would no longer stay under her older sister's responsibility –not _completely _at least, she would be her own woman, and this engagement ball was a step closer to all of that.

"Hey, Elsa!"

The exclaim made her head turned, to see the strawberry-blonde haired Princess looking at her expectantly. "Yes, Anna?"

A frown formed on her face, as Anna's turquoise eyes watched her expression closely. "You were unfocused."

"Was I?" For that, she received a nod in confirmation. "Oh, forgive me, Anna. I was just... thinking. Nothing that should concern you, no worries." Looking over her sister, up and down from the top of her head to the toes of her shoes, there was a smile that grew on her face. "You look beautiful, sister."

A grin spread over Anna's face then. "Thank you. You look beautifuller!" The word caught both of them off guard, as a slight frown grown on the Queen's face while the Princess' eyes widened at her choice of word –that she doubted even existed in the first place. "Wait, I mean not _fuller, _but more beautiful!"

_That _had made her laugh, enough that she had to place a hand against her abdomen to keep her corset from loosening back up. Oh, how she loved her sister.

* * *

He was waiting for her, at the grand entrance.

As custom, the Queen and her Prince Consort was to enter –or in this case _walk out_, together, hand-in-hand after they were announced for the crowd. The people must have arrived, as she could hear the muffled noises coming from the other side of the double doors, eager for her to show her appearance so that the celebration could be started officially.

She had heard, from her ladies-in-waiting and from the other servants as well, of how the citizens of Arendelle had been looking forward for this day, had anticipated it so much as it was rare for royalties to hold such intimate event with the public instead of with the other royalties. But Kristoff had come from their rank, and Anna had such a deep bond with the people that it just felt right for her to do this.

The moment he had seen her approaching, without their son who had been taken by his nannies to join the celebration later on following his parents, Hans' smile had grown on his face, his arms coming to wrap around her waist when she had stood right before him, lips pressing against hers in a quick yet sweet kiss. "Don't you look radiant today, Your Majesty." His compliment was accompanied by his gesture of pressing his forehead against hers until their noses touched and lips mere inches away. "The dress suits you."

"If not a little suffocating." She chuckled, turning her head to a side until the Prince could kiss her temples while a servant had walked past, only smiling upon seeing the two royals as he bowed his head and continued on.

Her admittance brought a frown to crease Hans' forehead as he pulled away so that he could properly see her. "Are you alright?" His hand had already rested itself on the small of her back, at the base of where her laces were, and she took a step away from him, feeling his hand brushed away from the spot.

"Helen might have laced me up a _tad _too tight." That or the fact that she may have gained weight from the many midnight snacking with her sister these past few weeks as they both worked together tirelessly in preparing for this day. She should _not _have agreed to Anna's many delicious persuasions, especially ones that included chocolate.

The auburn-haired Prince took a step closer, hands already returning to hold her waist. "Would you like to readjust it?"

"There's no time. I'll be fine." It was not as if she would not survive the day, she had gone through worse. Leaning forward, she had given him a reassuring kiss, lips lingering close even when they parted. "Besides, you sir, are great at _unlacing_, but not so much the other way around."

Hans chuckled at her tease, and the way she had looked up at him through her dark lashes, his hold on her tightened as he drew her body closer. "You do have a point there, darling."

Neither had heard of any approaching footsteps, thus it had taken them a little by surprise when the clearing of one's throat had been heard so nearby, making both turned -as well as stepping away from each other, to see Kai had been standing by the doorway, hands clasped behind his back, expression neutral. "It is time, Your Majesty, Your Highness."

"Of course, Kai." She nodded, straightening up. Hans' arm was offered for her to take, letting her to loop hers around with her hand clutching against his bicep while the steward made his way to open the doors and to reveal the royal couple.

"Her Majesty Queen Elsa and His Highness Prince Hans."

There was no denying the fact that her social ability had improved so much if compared to the first time she had been presented as the Queen of Arendelle many years ago, she no longer fidgeted nor feeling so out-of-place among the others, her heart did not race and there was no urge to run away rising from the depth of her stomach. Yet still, as old habits truly died hard, she still found crowded places to be the least preferable place to be. Thus why she had lingered close to the two 'thrones' that had been brought out for her and Hans -not the actual ones belonging in the Throne Room as those were far heavier, deciding to watch quietly as the celebration unfolded before her, throwing polite smiles and nods of her head when someone acknowledge her.

"Mama!" Wilhelm must have found his way out of his nanny's grasp, as he came running toward her instead with the young woman following close behind, dodging his way through the people dancing and enjoying the finger foods provided by the castle. Bending down, she had caught him just as he threw himself onto her, lifting him up until he could be perched up against her hip. "Open up, Mama!"

The boy had not even given her a chance to respond, as his hand was quick in shoving the krumkake that he had brought to her face, barely missing her open mouth and almost hitting her teeth, and soon she was overwhelmed by the sweet taste of waffle and the cream filling.

"Oh, Your Majesty, forgive me!" Ida gasped, as she reached the Queen. "The young Prince insisted and wrestled out of my grasp."

"It's quite alright, Ida." She chuckled, after managing to chew and swallow her share of krumkake. "Wilhelm just wish to share, isn't that right, my darling?" At that, Wilhelm had nodded excitedly. Besides, she was his mother above all else -even her title as Queen was below it, and she would gladly act as such.

"Wilhelm!" Heads turned to see Anna, slightly out of breath with face flushing with the brilliant color of red, approaching with a large smile on her face. Her chest was puffing, and listening to the song that had been played by the musicians, it seemed that she had just gone dancing. "Do you want to dance with Auntie Anna?"

The offer made clear blue eyes lit up almost instantly, as already the auburn-haired Prince wriggled his way down from his mother's arms. "Yes!" His excited squeal was met with Anna's hearty laugh as she took his hand in hers. "Bye-bye, Mama!"

"I'll return him soon!" The Princess called out with a snicker, satisfied that she still could steal her nephew so easily, as she walked away, with the boy's nanny following close behind to keep an eye on him.

When left alone, as Hans had not yet returned from his search of drinks for the both of them -she suspected that some people had caught and struck up a conversation with him, she could not help but notice the striking heat of the sun, despite the fact that it was already late afternoon, but she supposed the ending of spring and the fact that they were nearing summer might have something to do with it. and perhaps due to the fact that her corset had been a tad too tight, she had suddenly found it difficult to breath as her head started to hurt.

_Keep it together. _Scolding herself, she had taken a deep breath in an attempt to be true to her words, making sure that she would not make such an embarrassment nor trouble during such precious day of her sister.

Glancing up at the sky, she noted how lowly the sun hung. The celebration would end in a couple of hours, she will be fine until then.

"For Weselton!"

The exclamation rung loud and clear across the courtyard, and as her head turned to see who had shouted such absurd thing, her gaze had settled onto the cloaked man among the crowd that should have stood out like a sore thumb in the midst of celebration men and women if she had not been so distracted and let her guard down, eyes widening when he had raised a gun in his hand, it's end directed right at her.

She could hear the click of the machinery, of the metal gears turning within the weapon, before the blast sound of gunpowder had filled the air while she stood, frozen, in place.

"Elsa!"


	20. A Threat Against the Crown

Her ears rung painfully.

Hot white pain deafening her, rendering her mind out of focus and barely able to register her surrounding, had merely allowed her to feel the ground underneath her touch, of how the rough surface brushed against the skin of her palms. Her body felt heavy, _tired_, as it laid on the stone steps with her hands and elbows prompting her upper body -as well as her head, up.

Something had knocked her over.

Solid and large enough to send her off balance until gravity had pulled her down when she had been rendered motionless -frozen in place, from shock.

No, not something, _someone_.

Shadow loomed over her, enveloping her whole body as her breath caught in her throat, adrenaline rushing through her veins as her heartrate picked up, beating hard against her ribs. A hand reached out, cupping against the side of her face as it brought her to look over her shoulder, for her eyes to meet those of her husband hovering right above her. He had been the one who had pushed her out of her way, guarding her down and using his own body as his way to shield her.

"Elsa," his voice still sounded distant, muffled, though she could hear him still as the ringing had slowly decreased, returning her ability to hear. "You're alright. You will be alright." She was not sure if the assurance that he had spoken of was meant for her or for him.

The surrounding sounds grew clearer, louder, and she realized that they contained mainly of screams and yells of fear and panic. Her eyes darted to the side, to see men and women who were having fun -laughing and cheering, just moments ago had now dodged down to the ground, using their own arms to shield themselves and their loved ones should there was another attack from—

The shooter.

This was an assassination attempt against the Queen of Arendelle.

Pushing herself up, not even minding Hans' attempt to keep her low as she broke her wrist free from his hold just as he had grabbed her, her eyes had followed to where the guards had marched forward, tackling the hooded man down to the ground to avoid any other of his attempt to harm her, driving the crowd of people to step back and away.

She made a move to go forward, to face with this man who had dared to raise his gun toward her with the very intention of shooting her down and perhaps even bring harm to her loved ones as well, but Hans had once again taken hold of her wrist, and this time his grip was firm, vice-like, that she could not fight for her freedom.

"Hans, let go." Had he not felt the biting chill coming from her very skin as her magic swirled just underneath it? Bubbling and boiling with stinging coldness as her anger progressively increase until she had even spoken to her husband with gritted teeth and set jaw. "Let. Go."

"No."

He was as adamant in keeping her in place just as she was to go, his hold had only tightened as he tugged her to turn around and face him, just as the guards had forced the man up to his feet, restraining him as the assassin held on in trying to escape despite the fact that he was badly overwhelmed and outnumbered.

"Hans," she had never glowered at him, not with this amount of anger anyway, not even when they argued. But this man, this assassin that had dared to come and ruin her sister's celebration, he had rose an unknown burning anger that she did not even know she had before. She never once thought that she was capable in having such a raw hatred toward someone that she wanted to go there and just—

"Get it together." His voice was firm yet calming at the same time -she didn't even know someone could do such thing, as the auburn haired Prince attempted to ground the Queen, his other hand had moved to hold her free one, holding both between them, not even recoiling from the frost and cold mist that grew under her clenched fingers. "Elsa. Deep breath. Look around you."

It was not intentional, but her eyes had glanced to the very same spot that the cloaked man had stood, though she could not find him nor the guards that had held him anywhere, and she assumed they had dragged him away and out of the crowd's sight, most likely toward the dungeon where they would throw him in jail, behind bars where he could not attempt anything else. But then her blue eyes scanned around the area, just as Hans had told her, and among the frightened looks of her people, she had found the sight of her sister kneeling down on the floor -dress ruined by the dirt that it picked up, hands holding onto her nephew's arms, lips moving as she spoke though she could not catch on exactly what, while Kristoff stood protectively by their sides.

When she had seen them, that burning anger in her progressively decreased, her hands warming back up as her magic was dismissed, and Hans had let go of his hold on her wrists, setting her free as she moved to approach her family.

"There's nothing to worry about." She could tell that Anna has a reassuring smile on her face as she pinched her nephew's cheek.

"It's alright, bud." Kristoff piped in, ruffling the auburn hair of the young Prince as he too gave him a smile.

"Wilhelm!"

Her son's head turned as soon as she called for him, and he had took off running toward her as Anna watched on, and the Queen had bend forward to catch him before she lifted him up with one swift movement, holding him close against her hip as the boy held onto her. She noted how Wilhelm was not crying, he may look a little alerted but other than that… Anna had done a good job at calming him down.

With that thought in mind, she turned to look at her younger sister, just as she rose from the ground, hands dusting against her skirt as she silently approached, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile when she had given her a look of gratitude.

"I guess it means the party's over, right?"

* * *

No one spoke a word.

Gathered at the meeting room, each and every single one of them had found their own place to bask in the silence that hung heavily in the air. Wilhelm had been sent away to play in his nursery as per Olaf's suggestion about something that he called 'controlling what you can when things feel out of control', whatever that was, accompanied by Ida and the other nannies. As far as she was concerned, as long as her son was at peace then she would keep it that way, besides he did not have to be there to hear about the discussion that she was sure they would have soon.

"The Duke of Weselton must have sent him."

She did not even bother to look up from her position at the head of the long table -in her seat, instead had opted to keep her face in her hands as she hunched forward against the furniture, massaging her scalp as she kept her eyes shut. "We don't know that." Already she could feel yet another headache coming her way.

"Did his exclaim of 'For Weselton' not loud enough for you?" Hans questioned, sarcasm dripping thick and heavy from his voice that it had made her look up just to glare at the man standing by the tall window, arms crossed over his chest. "Guns are not exactly easy to acquire, Elsa, and no professional assassin would do such careless thing like exclaiming where he came from. Someone sent him here to kill you."

"We cannot jump into conclusions, Hans."

At that, he had actually _scoffed_, yet she had failed to see what could be so amusing for him to react in such way. "Funny, coming from someone who was so hellbent in turning him into an ice statue right at the middle of the courtyard full of people."

Her jaws tightened as the tips of her ears burned with embarrassment, her back straightened up, as she could not believe that Hans had the mean to even bring that up to her at this time. "Don't start."

"Yeah, you know what? I second that." Kristoff's unexpected involvement had both of them turned to him with furrowed brows and sharp glares, but the Mountain Man did not even flinch. "Why are you two arguing anyway? What is wrong with you guys?"

She hated to admit it, but Kristoff had a point, what was wrong with the both of them? This had once a matter of life and death -with the latter being a large possibility if Hans had not pushed her aside, yet in the midst of trying to figure it out they had only spiraled down into an argument that did not worth their time nor relationship. It was why she had leaned back against her chair, withdrawing before she and Hans would have gone for one another instead of working together.

"It's a possibility," she started, slow and measured as her eyes watched Hans' expression, though he was always able to hide his feelings from her -making himself unreadable, if he had wanted to, and he _clearly _did not wish to let her in. "But we shouldn't act harsh. We don't even have a good reason for his motive _if _the Duke was truly behind this."

"Humiliation during his last visit here, when you had revealed your powers to the world?"

Again, her brows had furrowed at Hans' suggestion, finding it strange and very unlikely. "That was _years _ago."

"You would be surprise on how a man such a he could truly hold a grudge." The Prince Consort shrugged, though he had not escalated further then and opted to continue leaning against the glass instead. "Or perhaps due to the fact that you decided to cut all trading ties with Weselton."

"It's possible." Kristoff piped in.

"That also happened years ago, _and _definitely not the way to reconnect with your former trading partner." This time, it was Anna who had spoken. Which quite surprised her, truly, since the Princess had been rather quiet even during the brief argument between her older sister and brother in-law. Her arms were wrapped around herself as her dress still clad her body, now that any of them had changed out into something else since they had ended the party earlier than planned.

Hans' lips pursed into a scowl, fingers running through his auburn hair, frustration clear in his eyes. "Then I'm out of ideas."

All of them did.

Sighing, she had pushed herself to rise from her seat after another moment of silent had past uselessly, the movement sending the chair to screech heavily, the sound echoing in the large room as all heads turned toward her. The auburn-haired Prince had questioned her intention in getting up, as it was clear that neither of them had figure out even the smallest of answer that had drove the four of them to gather in the first place. "I'm not going to sit here doing nothing. I'm going to question the prisoner."

Her decision had brought Hans into pushing himself off the glass, approaching her with wide long steps until he had reached her at record's time, hand resting against her shoulder. "It's late, Elsa."

"Well, it's not like I would be able to sleep anyway." Not with all these unanswered questions spiraling down in her mind like a raging storm that would not leave her be. Almost like the siren call that had kept her awake a year prior, ironically. "The sooner we get our answers, the better."

She could tell that Hans was heavily considering her words, as his hand slowly slipped from her shoulder before he had nodded in agreement. "Alright. But I'm coming with you."

"No one is holding you back."

* * *

The dungeon uneased her.

Darkness did not frightened her as much, though still she much preferred to have some sort of a light source to guide her way, no matter how dim it may be, to make sure that nothing lurked in the shadows and just ready to come at her when she had her defenses down. No, it was Anna who hated the dark the most between the two of them, she had cried so much when she unknowingly had locked herself inside the broom closet during their game of hide and seek when they were young.

But this place, even with the lit torches leading the way as she and Hans followed the guard in descending the rounding stairs that would lead them to roam under the castle's grounds, had sent a shiver down her spine. The cold looming sensation hung thickly in the air that she had searched for Hans' fingers, latching them together even when both of their eyes were trained forward.

There was this one cell that she had been made aware of, deep in the end of the dungeon where most criminals would not even be put nearby, that she dreaded more than anything. For it was not who was inside of it that mattered -it had never been used before, but the purpose of it's existence.

_"For precaution," _her Father had assured her. _"We're not going to use it, Elsa."_

But they thought about it still, and while she had nodded dutifully at the King, deep within her she was truly frightened. Of the moment that her magic would go out of control, so dangerous and unstoppable, that her own parents would need to chain her hands in special cuffs that would _hopefully _keep her powers in check.

She used to have nightmares about it.

"The prisoner is a headstrong and refused to talk." The Captain of the Guard had reported, when they had come to stand at the base of the stairs, deep within the earth and so far from the ground above that it almost felt like they were in a completely different and separate place altogether. "But he's smug, that's for sure."

"Thank you, Captain." Her fingers slipped out of Hans' grasp, expression steeling into one that was cold and unforgiving, and she could see from the corner of her eyes that her husband had done the similar thing. They were ready.

Another guard lead them further into the dungeon, and she noted how _empty _the place was. Arendelle was a mostly peaceful kingdom, they would not hold prisoners for long, would rather hold judgement as soon as they could, and if the prisoner had come from another kingdom then Arendelle would send them away to be sentenced by their respective hometown.

But there had not been a crime directly against the crown before.

The man inside the cell had been stripped of his cloak, sitting up against the far end of the wall across from the bars that separated him from his freedom, in clothing that was too shabby to be considered anything more than a mere commoner, perhaps someone who had worked his life in a farm or the market. He was definitely _not _a professional assassin.

"What do they call you?"

His head perked up, eyes dark and beady as he looked at the two royals before him, the guard had been dismissed by the Queen by a mere wave of her hand. They could handle one man just fine. "It doesn't matter what they call me, _Queen_." He had the nerve to chuckle at her, as his eyes scanned her from head to toe before coming back to meet her glaring eyes. "What matter is what they will know me of."

"And what exactly would you be known of?" Hans questioned; voice dark that she could almost _feel _it in the air. What was up with him?

"The first man to ever stood up against the witch of Arendelle."

The _pride _that the man leaked had made her eyes widened in shock, as she had never expected for him to be so bold and daring, knowing that he was speaking to the crown itself. Hans had lunged forward, arm banging against the iron bars so loudly that the sound echoed throughout the dungeon. The guards standing at the far end made a move, but hesitated in their place before stepping back down. "You dare!"

Receiving such reaction had only made the man laughed, head thrown back in amusement as he lounged back against the wall as if he was a free man. "Your wife is a monster, she always has and she always will be, sooner or later you would soon realize it, Prince."

"You will face death sentence for your crimes against the Queen of Arendelle." Hans glowered, deciding the fate of one man even before she could have stopped him. No matter what his crimes were, she was not one to easily decide on a sentence, especially when it comes to their lives.

But the man had only chuckled once more, darker this time, as he bowed his head until the shadow hid his face from view. "You're too late."

She couldn't understand what was going on, but as soon as he had spoken those words, the man's body had suddenly slumped into the ground, convulsing violently on the dirty flooring as foam started to ooze out from his mouth.

"Guards!"

Three of them had rushed past the two royals just as Hans had pushed her back and away from the cell, unlocking the door as they burst inside, one of them reaching down to feel the man's pulse as the convulsion had decreased, only to look up at his mates and shook his head.

There was no pulse. He was dead.

"Poison, My Queen." The Captain of the Guard had told them, after they had confirmed the most possible cause of the man's death. "He must have hidden a tablet of sort when we searched him. He never plans to seek freedom."

Her stomach curled as the Captain spoke, hand coming to clasp against her mouth as the horrible image replayed in her mind, over and over again, of how a man had died right in front of her eyes, contorting in pain as a potent poison that could kill him in mere _seconds _entered his body. She couldn't even imagine what he was feeling right there and then, dying in his cell in a land that was not his to call home.

Hans had brought her back up the stairs, away from the dungeon as people tend to the man that had attempted to murder her just hours ago, now lifeless and nothing but a corpse that they would have to clean up after, after he had noticed how pale she had looked, how shaken she was with the whole situation.

"It's not your fault." He told her, again and again, as he held her firmly with both hands, leading her to their bedchamber as her body trembled. "We will get to the bottom of this, I swear, Elsa, we will."

But did she really wish to find out?

**And we finally starting to get into the plot of this book.**


	21. Mother's Love

**I'll admit, this is not my best work. But I would rather move on than to agonize over this any longer.**

She couldn't sleep.

After she and Hans had returned back to their bedchamber that night, changing out of their clothes and into the comfort of their night clothing, both had buried themselves underneath the thick covers, with the auburn-haired Prince holding her close against his chest, never once letting go as his hand drew large comforting circles over her back. They would tell both Anna and Kristoff, as well as the rest of the Council, of what had occurred later tomorrow, when they were in better state and well rested, as knocking on their doors so late in the night would not be ideal.

Shutting her eyes, she had desperately tried to push herself to sleep, knowing how exhausted she was after the whole ordeal -both from the happier ones and the grimmer ones, but she just couldn't. Even listening to the thump of her husband's heart, the rise and fall of his chest with every breath that he took, noting how it grew steadier each time as sleep seemed to be kinder to him, could not convince her mind to let go, just for these few hours before morning come. No, she had remained aware of her surrounding, of how the fire crackled lowly in the fireplace that had been kept dimly lit to warm the bedchamber, of every time the wind rattled the glass windows, of how the mattress would shift and sink with every movement that Hans had made in his sleep.

Her husband was fast asleep, she could understand how tired he must be to be in such deep slumber that he did not even react when she had removed his hand from around her, or when she had scooted to the edge of the bed until she could get up onto her feet.

Making her way toward the triangular window, she had lowered herself to sit on the cushioned sill, pulling her legs close to her chest as she looked out at the darkened sky. It… soothed her, at least, looking out to her kingdom, peaceful and quiet as everyone rested comfortably in their own houses, the fjord water as calm as it always been, glittering as it reflected the moonlight high above. Arendelle had always been her home, beloved in her heart as she swore to protect it from the moment that she was crowned in the holy place before God's eyes.

_The first man to ever stood up against the witch of Arendelle._

Shaking her head, she had willed her mind to clear of the horrible image of the man that had once attempted to assassinate her. She should not let him haunt her, driving her off the edge just like so. He could no longer bring harm to her nor to her family and people, he was gone, once and for all, and she should be relieved.

Yet she just couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else behind this, something bigger.

What had drove her to leave her bedchamber she could not tell, but ever so carefully she had shut the door behind her, listening to the 'click' of it before she had made her way down the hallways, dancing flames from the candles the only source of light to lead her way. Pausing just right outside of the door, she could not help but have the smallest of smile when her eyes had drifted downwards to the bottom part of the door where, although hidden by the dark of the night, stains of ink that the servants still had not been able to completely rid of.

Stepping inside, keeping her footsteps as quiet as possible, she had carefully climbed into the bed after she had closed the door, peeling the covers with the least movement as she laid down, arm coming to wrap around the small figure sprawled on the mattress.

The young boy mumbled in his sleep, his brows furrowing, but soon relaxed back as he moved to snuggle against her embrace once he had recognized his mother's chilled skin, head nestled underneath her chin as his arm reached up to wrap around her neck. "Mama…"

"Can Mama sleep here?"

"Mm-hm…"

Holding her son close, to feel his warmth as she buried her face against the unruly auburn locks, had actually brought tears pooling in her eyes, blurring her vision as she bit the inside of her cheeks to keep herself from actually making a sound.

It was not a good time; it was not the _right _time. She thought it was, but it wasn't. This day was supposed to be filled with joy -it was supposed to be one of the most important days in Anna's life, and yet it had so cruelly turned into a grim reality that she didn't wish to recall. Everything that she had planned with care and attention to detail had come crumbling down right at her feet. Even the one thing that she had once looked forward to, when they had ended the party and it was only her small family that had remained, gathered by the fireplace as they unwind from the high of the day, had to be let go because now she _knew _that it would only worsened their situation.

"Mama?" Wilhelm had tilted his head up, eyes wide open despite the late hour, watching her before he had wriggled out of her embrace, sitting up on the bed as his hand reached forward toward her face, careful fingertips wiping against the tears that had streamed down her cheeks even with her best effort on concealing them. "Don't cry."

Embarrassment shot through her whole body, for she had found herself having being comforted by her own three years old son after she had been the main reason why he was awake. But his gesture, his gentle touch despite his expected tiredness, had warmed her heart even more. Wilhelm was always been such a kind child, always so attuned to his surroundings, aware of people's feelings as he worked in his own way to comfort those that needed it.

"Don't cry." He repeated, just as she herself had rose to sit on the mattress as well, opening her arms for him to come, catching him into her embrace as he threw himself against her, holding him close as his index finger traced random shapes against the exposed skin of her neck. "Why are you sad, Mama?"

"Because sometimes reality can be cruel, darling." And everything she had planned, the peaceful life that she craved for, could only be nothing but a mere hope, a dream so close yet still out of reach. And to top it all off, it was not just her life that was affected by it, but her whole family, her husband, her sister, her soon-to-be brother in-law, her _son_, everyone that was dear to her endangered because of her and how the rest of the world outside of Arendelle seen her. "All I want is for you and Papa and Auntie Anna as well as Uncle Kristoff to be safe."

"But we are!" The young Prince exclaimed, head pulling away from it's place in resting against her shoulder to look up at her, lips pursed. "We have you, Mama!"

That feeling returned, yet as she did not wish to display such discomfort in front of her son, she had used her entire might to swallow and pushed it all to the back of her mind and instead brushed away strands of auburn hair that had fallen over his face before she placed a kiss against his forehead. "Let's go back to sleep, it's so late for you to be up, my darling Prince."

"But you're not sad anymore, Mama?"

"No." She didn't want to lie, but she was not about to trouble her young son over matters that he did not even have the complete grasp of understanding just yet, maybe if he had grown older then she would tell him. Wiping her face from any stain left by the earlier running tears, she had offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm not sad anymore, all thanks to you."

Wilhelm beamed up at the prospect of being the reason of her 'disappearing' sadness, pushing against her as he stood on the bed until she had no other choice but to lie down, head sinking into the plush pillow while he busied himself in tugging the blanket over her body, tucking her in neatly with a pat against her arm before he leaned down, lips pressing a sweet kiss against her cheek before he snuggled back into her embrace, fingers grasping onto the fabric of her nightgown.

"May I have my lullaby, Mama? Please?"

Chuckling, she had nodded as her hand settled on his back, gently patting against it along the rhythm of the song that she had sung to him even before he was born.

_"Where the North wind, meets the sea. There's a river full of memories."_

* * *

Days past and still the gloom remained.

The guards had rid of the man's remains as soon as the following day had allowed them enough light to go and bury him, in such early hour where no one had started their day yet as not to alarm the townspeople as they carried the corpse out and away from the castle's grounds. No one had spoken of the incident since then, had been rather quiet after the whole ordeal. The Queen had presented herself in front of the crowd that very same day, under the bright light of the sun, from above the balcony as people gathered in the courtyard once again, speaking of reassuring words that all was fine and there was nothing that they should fear, that the assassination attempt would not affect the kingdom, and that everyone in Arendelle was safe.

That had been her display in front of the crowd.

Behind the walls, however, she could not shake off the thought of the man, of the look on his face when he had spoken with such dire hatred, of how he had regard her as such a _vile _being and of the accusations that she had not heard for so long. He was willing to die, to commit such unspoken act, right before her very eyes even before she could even give him the sentence for his crimes. She had never intended for death to befallen him, she never intended for death to befallen _anyone_, and now the sight of his contorting body had been burned into her mind, haunting her into restless sleep and even more exhausting days.

Hans worried, as he always did, especially when he had woken up without her by his side that day, but she had assured him that she was fine after holding their son close throughout the night. And truly, it was, she had not felt as miserable when she had woken up and find Wilhelm sprawled over the bed as he found his way out of her embrace and somehow managed to turn his whole body until his head had come close to the edge while his legs were propped up against his mother's body. She could comfortably confirm that he took after his aunt.

Warm timid fingertips brushed against her hand on the table had been able to snap her out of her daze, shaking her head to clear her mind as she looked over, across the small round table, to the sight of her sister, turquoise eyes watching her closely as she had leaned forward to reach for her.

"Elsa, stop tormenting yourself."

She wished she could. She wished she could follow her younger sister's footsteps, to follow her pace in recovering from the shock that they had gone through. Anna, despite the fact that it had been _her _engagement celebration that had been ruined, had handled it better than she, she was not as shaken nor that she was so badly affected by it. She was not overthinking everything.

"I know you're afraid, but he's gone, Elsa, he's not going to hurt any of us ever again." Of course, she had told the Princess of what had happened in the dungeon, though she had saved the unsettling details and had only given the main picture, saving her from the same haunting image. "And Lieutenant Mattias had assured us about the increase in security around the castle and even the town, remember? There will be no more assassins that could easily slip into Arendelle undetected."

But what a change it was. Under Hans' instruction, and Anna's surprising support, the gates to the castle's grounds were temporarily shut for the public, not even those who wished to hold an audience with the Queen was allowed to enter. The people had been made to understand though, that it was the royal family's method of keeping their safety, and that it would not be permanent, just until all of this had died down. But even Kristoff was not allowed to make his way out in the town as freely as he was used too, kept inside had made the man uneasy, though he had never expressed it.

And the assassination attempt had only opened her eyes further to the threat that still loomed outside. People, especially those beyond Arendelle, had still feared her, as they rationally would when it comes to a Queen running a kingdom that possessed magical powers. She may be accepted in Arendelle and it's neighboring kingdoms, but those beyond that? "It's not just that, Anna."

"Then what is it?"

"I-" the words were right there, at the tip of her tongue, and yet something had held her back from speaking of it. But Anna was waiting, sitting there for afternoon tea with her older sister in the gardens, expecting an answer. And would she even have the heart to keep this from her own sister? They did promise not to shut each other out. She had broken that promise once, and she didn't wish to repeat her mistake. "Anna, I'm-"

"Mama!"

The sudden cry for her had prompted both ladies to turn their attention away from each other, head turning toward where the sound had come from, bolting up from their seats upon the sight of the boy sitting on the ground, in the brink of tears. During other times, Anna would most definitely outrun her in anything, as the Princess was known to be quite fast, but now her feet had moved even quicker, closing the distance between her and her son in a matter of seconds as her protective instinct had kicked in the moment of her son's need.

Coming to kneel by his side, she had noted at how he had cradled his other hand close to his chest as his whole body shook as he had started to sob. "Wilhelm, what happened?"

Wide blue eyes looked up at her as quivering lips pursed, before he had held up his hand to show her the small cut at the tip of his index finger, a drop of red blood seeping out from under his skin. "Mama…" his whine continued, just as she gently took his injured hand to examine it further while the other came up to his face as he rubbed his eyes.

"Did you get pricked?" Anna had come just a moment later, lowering herself down beside the older sister, eyes examining the flower bush that was closest to them, and the young Prince had nodded somberly. Indeed, red roses had grown beautifully, enchanting to those that lingered around the garden. No wonder Wilhelm had been here, he must have wanted to pick one.

"Oh darling," her thumb gently brushed against the cut, dismissing of the blood, before she had brought it up to her lips, giving a kiss. "There. Do you feel better?" Wilhelm had nodded then, though he still his lips pursed. It was more likely that he was in shock more than pain, perhaps feeling a little betrayed too by the flower.

Getting back up onto her feet, she had taken her son's hand as she led the way back toward the table, shaded away from the bright sunlight as it seemed that playtime had suddenly did not feel fun anymore for him, at least this moment. The second his mood had come back up; she knew without a doubt that he would be up and running again. Pulling him to sit on her lap -as there were only two seats that had been provided, she brushed away his auburn hair out of his face, noting that he would need another haircut soon, as timid fingers reached for the finger foods that had been brought out to accompany the sisters' afternoon tea.

"Why the roses hurt me?"

"It's the way to defend itself, Wilhelm." Anna answered even before the mother could, smiling at the way the boy had perked up in interest as she took a bite of the cake she had on her plate. "The roses are beautiful, right?" that had earned a nod from him. "It needs a way to defend itself from mischievous fingers like yours."

The Princess had meant it as a tease to the boy, but Wilhelm had scowled, shoulders slumping down. "But I want to give one to Mama." He admitted, rather sadly. "It's so pretty, just like her."

There was no way she could hold back the chuckle that escaped her lips at the compliment her son had for her, assured that when he grown older, he would have been even more similar to his Father in the term of being charming, women would have easily fallen for him. "Why thank you, my darling Prince. But the next time, just call out for me to come to you, alright? So that we can admire the flowers without taking them away."

"But why?"

"Because picking them means we're taking them away from their home." Anna explained, leaning forward as her elbows rest against the surface of the table. "And then they will be sad."

"Why would they be sad?"

"Because they will be away from their loved ones."


	22. For You

_"We have done all we can."_

Steam rose as she lowered herself into the water as heat met with the chill of her skin, the Queen exhaling deeply as her eyes fluttered close, head leaning back against the marble edge of the tub as her fingers curled at the sides, holding on.

_"But it is simply impossible for us to find who was responsible behind the man's action."_

She could feel the hands of her ladies-in-waiting working in cleaning her up from the day's grime and dirt, scrubbing and massaging their way against her arms, bubbly soap water slick on her skin as low whispers were exchanged as they gossiped and spoken between themselves, exchanging information and what they had gone through for the day, of what the cook had made for the royal family's dinner, yet everything was barely even a muffle in her ears at the moment.

The Council had been dealing with the whole assassination attempt against the crown to their best ability, yet it was just not enough, as none had enough lead to follow the path to their answer. Even she herself had come down to the courtyard once, making her way to the very spot that she had been standing at when the man had made his presence known, eyes searching around until she could find the marks left by the bullet that he had fired, running the tips of her fingers against the black dot on the brick wall, feeling the uneven dent it had created. But what was she was expecting from her investigation anyway?

_"Well there _is _a way, perhaps." _

But they didn't want to go down toward where Lord Melbourne was referring to, at least that was how Hans had expressed, firmly and without an edge for argument, during the meeting, dismissing the idea even before more could be said.

The feeling returned, of sour taste coming up her throat as she pulled her hand out of Helen's grasp, pressing the tips of her fingers against her lips as she tried her best to swallow back the sourness, all the while shaking her head ever so carefully when she was met with worried looks from the lady. No, she could handle this, like how she had handled it before the Council, though it did have rendered her mostly wordless as she would rather _not _hurl her stomach content in front of everyone.

"Is there anything else that I can help you with, Your Majesty?"

She considered declining the kind offer, as she simply would like to be left alone after the ladies were done and had cleaned up after themselves as they made their way out, with only Helen lingering back, but instead she had nodded. "Could you please bring up a cup of tea for me to my bedchamber later? Ginger and mint."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

Once the door had clicked closed and she was utterly alone, the platinum blonde haired Queen had lowered herself into the water further, with both hands keeping ahold onto the sides of the tub at all times, inhaling a deep breath before her head was completely submerged under the water's surface, letting it surrounded and enveloped her, drowning the noises and her worries that had been bothering her lately. It was only when her lungs had started to hurt from the lack of oxygen that she resurfaced, breaking through the surface as her hands moved to brush away her dampened loose hair back and away from her face, just in time to hear the knock on the door.

"Elsa?"

"Come in."

Auburn hair peeked through the slight opening of the door before it was fully pushed forward, revealing the man that would forever has her heart. He approached, with a white towel in hand, while she moved to drape herself against the edge of the tub, cheek resting against her folded arms as she watched him take a seat by her side, letting her eyes fluttered for a moment as he leaned forward to give her a soft kiss. "Not yet wish to get out?"

Shaking her head, she had instead reached forward to the white cotton shirt he was wearing, tugging against the top button. "Come sit with me." There was hesitation in his eyes that had driven her to lean just a little closer, other hand reaching to hold his face as thumb slowly ran over his cheek. "Please? The water's not cold… yet."

Hans stared right into her eyes before he had nodded in agreement, placing the towel onto the nearby wooden table before he began to remove his clothing as her gaze followed to where his hands moved, leaning back as she made sure that there was just enough space for him to sit behind her, feeling the water sloshing and even pouring out of the tub when he had stepped in. It was almost like a magnetic pull between the two of them, for the moment he had sat down, just as bare as she was, she had moved to lean her back against his chest, adjusting herself comfortably as his arms came to wrap around her figure.

His lips ghosted against the skin of her neck, peppering her with light feathery kisses that had her letting out a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted." There was no need for her to lie to him about it, she had too much on her plate at the moment to add up concealing how tired she was to the mix. Her honesty had also granted her with his hands moving onto her shoulders, rubbing against the tense muscles. The contentment that overcome her from his ministration had her relaxing enough to wish to open up more. "I know that you told me not to put too much of my mind over it, but I couldn't help it, Hans. I don't want our family to have to live with the need to look over their shoulders in case someone had come to get them." She didn't want to have her children lived in such way; she didn't want to raise them with fear plaguing their minds.

"But what can we do, Elsa?" One of his hands had slipped down her back, disappearing under the water, and she had sucked a breath before he had decided to rest it against her hip. "And don't suggest what Lord Melbourne had said."

"Why not?" moving away from him, she could feel his hands slipping away as she became out of grasp for him, as she faced him with furrowed eyebrows. "It may be our only chance at uncovering the truth."

The Prince ran his fingers through his hair, dampening it in the process as droplets of water now hung onto the auburn strands. "It's like walking right into enemy's trap, Elsa. It's dangerous and full of risks that I am not willing to take."

Silence hung between them, as both merely stared at one another, her lips pursed into a scowl. There was no way for her to argue, she could tell just by looking at her husband, so she wouldn't even attempt to. "I'm getting out." She had just gotten up and out of the water when he had caught her wrist, holding tight as he questioned the reason for her sudden departure from the tub after being the one who had invited him in. "My tea is going to get cold."

Hans had lifted his eyebrow at that, curious, as he joined her in getting out of the now lukewarm water. "You asked for tea?"

"If you want your own, you would have to request it yourself, I've only asked for one." Making a move to reach for the towel, her hand had been proven to be much slower when compared to his as her husband had gotten hold of it before her fingers could even brush against it. "Hans!"

"_I _brought this one here, didn't I?" The auburn-haired Prince chuckled as he gave himself a throughout drying while she crossed her arms over her chest as she turned away from him. Of course, there was nothing for her to hide from his wandering eyes -and yes, she could tell that they _wandered _behind the precious towel he was using so smugly; yet she would much prefer to not be dripping wet from head to toe in the middle of their private washroom the moment she had stepped out of the bath.

"You're unbelievable." She grumbled, making her way toward the other end of the room where a shelf was located at the corner as a place where the maids had stored freshly pressed towels, leaving wet trail of dripping water coming from her and her hair in her wake.

"And _you _are unbelievably beautiful, darling." That earned him a roll of her eyes, even when he couldn't see it himself. She could hear his footsteps against the wet floor approaching her as she dried herself, before she had felt his warm lips against her cheek. "I'll see if your tea has arrived."

"Don't touch it!" but Hans had only given her an amused chuckle as he left to get himself re-dress for the night while she still had to work with her long hair. Though it seemed that he did listened to her, for her steaming cup of tea that sat at her vanity seemed to be untouched as she came to fetch for it once she had dressed herself in her nightgown, the strong scent calming down her nerves as she took a careful sip of the hot beverage.

"You know," Hans sat at his side of the bed, hair half-dry and slicked back out of his face as he watched her, leaning against the headboard comfortably. "I could have sworn it smells like ginger and mint. Did I guess right?" When she had given him a nod over her cup, the expression on his face had changed considerably from playfulness into one of concern in a matter of seconds as he leaned forward. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

He was not convinced though, as the auburn-haired Prince had gotten up from the bed instead of waving it off how she had wanted him to. "Elsa, are you feeling nausea?" What did she expect, truly? For him not to pick up the sign? After all, he was the one who had suggested those two ingredients to reduce her nausea the last time.

"Not so much." Adverting her gaze away, she had placed her cup down, clearing her throat. "I just… like the taste."

Green narrowed, as she knew he must have caught on with her lie, it was too blatant not to notice, his arms had come to cross against his chest. "What are you not telling me?" Her jaws tightened, but she could not even _think _of the word in her mind. "Elsa."

"It's nothing."

"You do know that there is not one second that I believe that, right?" Now her own arms wrapped around herself, in a defensive way as she hid her hands, curling herself away as Hans had moved forward, closing the gap between them. "There is only one time where you consumed ginger and mint together."

But her lips remained tightly sealed, as eyes had only glanced upward to see his face before she had adverted them back away once again, down to see the ground at their feet as she seemingly found it more interesting than anything in the world. His hands held her by the shoulders, the weight and the warmth felt like blazing heat that demanded to be known. She knew he meant well, he had only wanted to comfort his wife, for them to help one another in any situation -especially this one where it truly affected them both, like they had vowed to; but it was so difficult for her to even muster the word out or to think about it.

"Elsa," his tone had taken to a gentler one, coaxing her as carefully as he could as one of his hands moved up, fingers curling around her chin as he brought her to face him, green eyes warm and comforting when met with timid blue ones. "Are you pregnant?"

Hearing that word coming from her husband's lips, and how gentle and patient he was with her, had only managed for tears to form in her eyes as she choked on a sob, lips trembling as she stared up at him, giving him a slow and calculated nod.

"Are you unhappy?"

On different circumstances she would most definitely find the question to be atrocious, for how could she not be happy to bear another child with the man that she loved, but she understood why Hans had asked, seeing her reaction was enough for him to presume. "I… don't know." Her shoulders slumped underneath his touch, though even when he had no longer held her head up, their eye contact remained unbroken. "I wanted to be happy, I _was _happy, but with the situation that we are in right now? I don't know."

It was his eyes now that were casted downwards, though he did not meet the ground and instead had stared at her abdomen, hands slipping down until he held her by the waist, and this time she had not flinch away for he had known now. "How far along?"

"Ten weeks, perhaps." It was hard for the doctor to give her the exact answer after he had confirmed her suspicions of the similar symptoms that she was having, and the fact that it had been her second pregnancy meant that her body was not the same as it was during the first, things changed. "I wanted to tell after the Engagement Ball, but we all know how that had turned out." Her chuckle was bitter as she sniffled, hand rubbing against her eyes to dismiss of the tears that had come earlier.

"You don't want anyone else to know, don't you?"

"Heavens, no." It was hard enough for her to tell Hans, how on earth would she be able to tell the others as well? And they had to be careful with this one. "If words had gotten out that I'm pregnant, whoever behind this could use this as a potential to come for us by harming our baby."

Wrapping his arms back around her, Hans had pulled her into his embrace, warm and safe as she buried her face against his chest. "I promise you; it will never come to it."

* * *

She was a coward. She couldn't do it.

Moonlight had casted shadows to dance on the walls as she walked through the halls, tugging against the silk robe as her slippers padded quietly over the flooring. Considering how late it was, she was supposed to be in bed, sleeping with her husband by her side, and definitely not making her way toward the castle's library with nothing but a single candle that she carried. She didn't even have a clear plan on what she was about to do, she just knew she had to, whether Hans would like it or not -the latter being the most possible one.

Towering bookshelves welcomed her once she had entered through the double doors, welcoming her as she made her way further in, darkness engulfing her as the curtains had been pulled shut over the tall windows, though she had appreciated the peace and quiet that the whole large room had offered her, it assured her that she was truly alone.

There was a feel of guilt that flourish in her heart as she lowered herself to sit behind the mahogany desk, hesitation in the way her fingers paused right before she had taken hold of the drawer's handle, but with an inhale of her breath she had willed her muscles to move and pull it opened, taking a piece of parchment before she had pushed it back close.

Cursive handwriting adorned the surface as her hand moved with each word that she written as feather quill dipped into the ink bottle every now and then, creating flowing official sentences worthy of a royal.

_'-and despite the unfortunate circumstances that the relations between our nations are in, I do wish that this letter finds you well._

_Regards,  
Queen Elsa of Arendelle.'_

There was an envelope at ready for her, as she folded the parchment neatly together, and she had slipped it in when she was done, though never once did she move to take hold of the wax seal, hesitating as hands pausing as she held the letter in her grasp. Would she truly sent it forward to the receiver that she had meant to write to? Even the thought of it had made her heartrate picked up as even more doubt had only added up to the weight on her shoulders.

_"It's dangerous and full of risks that I am not willing to take."_

One of her hands traveled down to her abdomen, fingers drumming lightly against the clothed stomach where the smallest of bump had started to grow once again. Hans had reminded her, even before he knew of her situation, how risky it may be, and now that he knew he was even more against the idea than before.

But could she truly sat still, doing absolutely nothing, letting people plot against her very existence that would affect not only herself but her family, just because she was who she was? A Queen and now expecting mother?

Sighing, she had bent down to reach for the bottom drawer, pulling it opened before she had buried her newly written letter underneath old ones. It was late at night, making as important as this one would not benefit her to the finest, and she probably needed some good night sleep and to think it over and over again instead of rushing into things. So, until then, it shall reside beneath those that no one would bother to look into.

"I know things are not the best right now," she murmured as she made her way back to the doors, hands cradling her belly with care. "But Mama and Papa will work things out, for you."

**Y'all ask for it. Also some already guessed anyway.**


	23. The Weight She Bears

It had felt like forever since she listened to this song.

Her son had always requested for her to sing each time she had tucked him to bed, lulling him to sleep as her hand would brush against the auburn hair on his head, watching as his eyes grew heavier with each tone that came through her lips until he had slept soundly by the time she had reached the end of it. Sharing her Mother's lullaby, one that has been passed down throughout the Northuldra's tribe, with her own son had been one of the things that she had cherished in her life, to see how the beauty of it could have the similar effect on him as it did to both her and her younger sister when they were little.

But alas, with her son, she merely had her own voice to rely to.

Playing it on the piano was a completely different thing all together. The tunes coming from the instrument filled her ears as well as the quiet recreational room where she had confided herself in after one of the Council meetings she had attended for the day, soothing her in a way that she could not explain.

Letting her fingers moved by muscle's memory as she let her eyes shut close to let her hearing enjoy the most of it, she relished on the moment that she had shared with her Mother, one that did not involve her feeling fearful nor pressured, just the two of them sitting together in the room, basking under the warm sun. This had been a talent that she inherited from her Mother -though she would not claim to be a master at it since she had only memorized a handful of songs, taught personally by the former Queen herself, from back when she was young. Anna never had the patience, too impulsive and would not sit for hours doing the same activity over and over again.

Though, she too, had been rather impatient when she was young as well.

_"I can't!" _she had whined when her pinky had yet pressed another wrong key, ruining the song she was learning to play. _"I will never be able to memorize this song!"_

But her Mother had only smiled, gentle and knowing, as her hand came to pat her on the head. _"You can, Elsa, you can and you will. All you need is to believe in yourself."_

Now there she was, sitting on the bench, practically able to play the song without even the need to look at the keys if she wanted to, for she had been playing it for _hundreds _of times, never once grew tired or bored of it. The fact had brought a small smile to play on her lips.

It seemed that she had left the door slightly ajar, as she had sensed the approaching figure by her side despite not hearing the opening of the door that she was sure would not miss. Opening her eyes, she had tilted her head to a side, bringing the song into a gentle end as she smiled at her son's wide blue eyes staring up at her with wonder.

"Hello Wilhelm."

"Mama can play!" He exclaimed in awe, hand coming to hold onto her dress, tugging against the fabric.

Chuckling, she had move to lift him up onto the bench -not the easiest task there was since she had to twist her body around and to make sure that she was holding him properly in such position, noting how much he had grown from how heavy he was already for her. "A little, yes. What are you doing?" The boy had refused to sit by himself on the bench and opted to force himself onto her lap instead, batting her arm away from his path as she could do nothing but let him do what he pleased.

"I want to play too!" As if to emphasize his claim, his hands slammed against the ivory keys, causing a mess of discordant sounds to suddenly echo in the room, making her cringe from the assault against her ears. Though it seemed to not bother him one bit, as he had repeated the gesture at least three times before she had caught his hands in hers. "Mama, let's play!"

"And we will, we will." She promised as she contained another of her son's attempt to slam his hands against the keys. "We'll play together, alright? So, listen to Mama." Once she was sure that he had understood and listened to her, she had let go of his hands, letting them rest on his own lap as she raked her brain for something simple, for the lullaby was anything but that. "Alright," straightening her back, she had held back from pressing her hand against the small of her back in fear that Wilhelm may have his focus elsewhere then. "Press this key." Placing her finger onto one key without actually pressing against it, she had encouraged her son to follow her guide.

The young Prince had surprisingly followed suite with her every guidance, key by key, with the utmost care, and seemed to genuinely enjoyed every part of it until he had actually reached the end of the short song.

"Do you want to hear me play it?" She offered, which was greeted with his excited nod before she prepared herself to play, fingers lingering over the keys as she took a deep breath before starting, playing each tune with it's original speed and arrangement.

When she had finished, Wilhelm had clapped his hands, bringing an amused smile to grow on her lips as he bounced himself against her thighs, though it had been short-lived as he suddenly stopped, shoulders slumping, and she could just sense that something had suddenly bothered his mind. "I can't play like that, Mama."

"Of course, you can, darling." But her son had continued to sulk, lips pursed into a pout as he insisted on not being able to do what she did, and she had to adjust his sitting position until he was sitting sideways so that he could look at her as she brought his chin up. "With practice and patience, you can do anything. All you need is to believe in yourself."

Wilhelm had merely puffed his cheeks up at her before he had looked down, and she noticed how his brows had furrowed at whatever it was he was seeing as his hand reached forward, patting on her small bump that was apparently had only been highlighted when she sat down. "Mama have a tummy."

By Gods, if she had been drinking, she would have choked on it after her son's sudden comment and gesture. Yet as surprising and unexpected that it was, she knew that he had never meant harm, and displaying even the slightest annoyance would instead upset him, so she had gathered herself rather quickly as she cleared her throat. "Do I, now?" The boy had looked up then, giving her a nod in confirmation. She hadn't told Wilhelm anything about his future younger sibling, she didn't even know if he would understand much of it, in fear that he may slipped up and told _everyone_. "Is it bad?"

"No." He affirmed with a shake of his head. "Full tummy is a happy tummy."

"Who said that?"

"Auntie Anna."

Of course.

A dramatic gasp had made it's appearance as sudden as his first comment as the auburn-haired boy had perked up at her, eyes narrowed as he looked at her rather suspiciously, and for once she had thought that he had known more than she had thought he would be.

"You've been sneaking into the kitchen!"

Or not. Deciding to play along with her son's accusation, she had pressed her index finger against her lips, shushing him. "Don't tell anyone."

Wilhelm giggled, apparently amused by the idea of his mother sneaking into the kitchen for snacks between meal times -which actually was not completely off the mark as she _had _been sneaking in once or twice to relief herself from her cravings over sugary treats. Leaning down, she had inhaled a breath before blowing raspberries against his cheeks, which had only turned his giggles further into a full laughter as he desperately attempted to wrestle his way out, yet to no avail as she held him firmly in place.

The knock on the door was the only thing that had prevented her to add tickles as she turned to look at who had been their guest, finding Kai standing by the door, waiting for her with a silver tray in hand before she had gestured for him to enter. He didn't even need to say a word, for as soon as she had laid her eyes on the wax seal of the singular letter that he had brought in, she had known.

"Wilhelm, why don't you go with Kai and play in your room for a bit, alright?" Kissing the top of her son's head, she had combed her fingers through his hair before letting him to slide off her lap before she reached for the letter, thanking the steward and watching him brought the young Prince out before she had stood up from the bench.

There was a slight tremble in her hands as she made her way down the halls, seeking the privacy that her study would always offer her, though there was no need for her to be so nervous, it had only been a letter. But then again, this one was different, had been awaited from the moment she had finally sent the one letter that she had hid from prying eyes almost a week ago. And finally, she had received her answer.

Shutting the door behind her, she had wasted no time in grabbing her letter opener as she lowered herself into her seat, pulling out the letter as carefully as she could as she inhaled a deep breath, leaning back as one of her hands moved to cradle her belly, eyes moving to read the words written in black ink.

_'Dear Queen Elsa of Arendelle,'_

* * *

The sinking of the mattress had made her eyes fluttered.

She was well aware that her decision to keep her second pregnancy unknown to others other than her husband would mean that she would not have the same luxury of having less work and demands from the Council as she did when she was carrying Wilhelm, had to bear through hours upon hours of endless paperwork and meetings, fulfilling her role as the reigning monarch despite how exhausted she was or now uncomfortable she may be feeling.

And truly, even with the years of experience and her decision of sharing her work more equally between her, her sister, and her husband, at the end of each passing day she still felt so utterly drained.

It was not her intention to pay less attention to Wilhelm, it never was, but the amount of energy spent on her duties had meant that she had less for her son, not to mention the nausea that depleted her even further. At nights, when she read him stories before bed or even simply singing his lullaby, often it was _her _who had fallen asleep before the boy himself, nodding off as she was unable to fight the heaviness on her eyes, until ultimately Hans had decided to tell their son that Mama was feeling unwell lately and so he would take over in seeing him to sleep, allowing her to retire early, just until she was feeling better.

Often times she would be so deep in slumber already by the time Hans returned to their bedchamber. But not tonight.

Feeling his arm coming to wrap around her, she could feel the warmth of his chest against her back as he let out a breath, lips lingering and barely brushing against the spot just behind her ear, she could not help but move her own hand to rest on top of his, over her belly that he was holding ever so lovingly.

"What did you read for him tonight?" it was a habit of theirs, to fill each other up with whatever it was regarding their son, and since the auburn-haired Prince Consort had refused to sing, claiming that his voice was not as good as hers -which she had continuously declined but he was still adamant with, she knew he would have been reading stories from the many books Wilhelm had in his room.

"The Tales of Flynnigan Rider, it has been a favorite of his lately."

The frown on her face was unavoidable, as she had a certain knowledge that Flynnigan Rider was not exactly a character that she wanted her son to adapt to, but had not said anything about it. Instead, she had opted to sink deeper into her husband's warm embrace, sighing. "Your son calls me fat the other day," she started, after silence had passed between them. "Not expressed so blatantly, of course, and not with any ill intention. He noticed my bump."

"Oh?" Hans' thumb ran over her clothed midsection, following the curve that had appeared from their growing babe, as if to confirm of the boy's words to his own mother. "He will know the real reason, soon enough." 'Soon' was still a vague idea between the two of them, for neither knew when that 'soon' will be. "Are you certain we shouldn't tell anyone else? Anna?"

Her head shook then, as she took his hand up and away from her belly, instead bringing it close to her face, just enough for her to kiss his knuckles as their fingers intertwined. "Not yet. I still haven't felt… certain."

"The man's dead, Elsa, and we have no clear idea on where to dig deeper. You should stop torturing yourself over something that perhaps not even a problem anymore."

She had remained silent then, thankful that she had her back against him, not allowing for him to study her face, even in the dark of the night where barely anything was visible in the first place. Silence had once again fallen between them, longer this time, and Hans had not moved a muscle since that she feared he may have fallen asleep in the brief pause of their conversation.

"Darling?" his answer was a mere hum, low and quiet, hot breath against her skin, as his hold tightened just slightly. "Do you think they have anything we can snack on in the kitchens?"

The question that had come from her must have been rather unexpected for him to hear, because he had shifted behind her until she could feel how his head loomed over her once he had lifted it to better see her face. "You want snack? At this hour?"

Shoulders moving up in a shrug, she brought his hand back to rest against her belly, patting gently. "Please?" this was not their first time in being expectant parents, he _knew _what he had to do once she had given him that gesture.

Hans had given her a tired groan, but he moved to sit up on the bed either way, giving her enough space to roll onto her back to look at him and offered a sheepish grin his way. "And what the Queen desires to snack on at this fine hour of the night?"

"Something sweet, but not _too _sweet."

Again, this was not the first time this had happened. There were times where her cravings were so detailed and specific that she had overwhelmed the cooks for her odd request during her first pregnancy, but there were also times where it was so vague that even she could not tell exactly what she wanted.

"Is that all?"

Taking a moment to think over it, and determining what her tongue may have appreciated more over others, she finally nodded. Though, when Hans had barely reached the door, she had called back for him. "I don't want something overly soft, but obviously don't get me something that would break my jaws. Just enough for me to chew and have some crunch on."

It was far too dark for her to actually see and determine, but she had a feeling her husband was frowning across the room toward her. "I'll see what I can find."

When he had returned, Hans had brought in a bar of dark chocolate and nothing else. It was simple, it was sweet but not overly sweet that her teeth may hurt, it was not soft yet she would be able to bite into it with ease and still enjoyed something to munch on.

It was perfect.

He sat with her on the bed while she nibbled on the chocolate, enjoying the simplicity of it as he told him how he had rummaged through the cupboards, in the dark, trying his best not to make any noise and wake up the whole castle, all the while he had brought it upon himself to rub her feet, gentle and throughout with the most caring touch.

She… didn't deserve him. Such loving husband who would do anything in his power for her, devoted his whole life for her and for their family, what has she done to marry such perfect man like him?

"Hans,"

Perking up, she could see his green eyes peeking through his lashes as his hands paused, if only momentarily, at her call. "Yes?"

The way he looked at her, how his voice had sounded in her ears, she had reached forward and curled her fingers around the fabric of his shirt, tugging him close until she could press her lips against his. "I love you."

She could feel the smile against her lips as he chuckled, perhaps amused at the suddenness of her kiss and her words. "I love you too, Elsa." Yet the way he had said his respond had been sincere and gentle, as if he was aware -no matter how unconsciously it was, of her urge to express her feelings for him. "Now go finish that chocolate so we can go back to bed."

Rolling her eyes, she had held up the half-eaten bar as a silent offering, letting him take a rather big bite of it before she pulled it away with a scowl. She had meant to share, but not _that _big, though her irritation had not last long because when he had kissed her again -in his attempt to wipe away her scowl and getting out of trouble, he had tasted like chocolate.

"More?"

* * *

The falling snowflake had woken him up.

Being married for so long to a woman who was born with the ability to control ice and snow had progressively made his own body's ability to withstand the cold better with each passing day that he had spent his life with his wife, holding her close as his skin was met with her colder one. Sure, it was not as biting as ice would be -unless she _willed _her skin to or when her magic had gone out of control, just not as warm as anyone else's. He never minded it, he found a certain comfort in it instead, as it was the one thing that his wife had that no one else did, and he was to be the one who could enjoy it however he liked.

He had grown used to the chilling sensation whenever his skin brushed against hers in his sleep -he used to notice it and shivered but not anymore, instead it had become his way to know that she was there, by his side, safe and sound.

But this touch of ice against his nose was different, this was not skin but something small and wet. A snowflake.

His eyes fluttered when more had touched the exposed skin of his face, heavy with sleep yet he forced them to open so he could assess to the situation at hand. Elsa had her back toward him, seemingly still asleep, but he noticed the way her shoulders tensed up, how she curled into herself, legs pulled up as snowflakes sprinkled over them.

"Elsa," his hand reached forward to touch her arm, finding it to be even colder than it usually was even through the silk of her nightgown, shaking it lightly. "Elsa, wake up."

"No, please…"

He had thought that she was merely having an unpleasant dream, but the way she had breathed heavily and whimpered had suddenly brought his senses into a full alert as he sat up on the bed, noticing how her brows had furrowed deeply and how her lips trembled.

"Elsa," he tried again, louder this time, but her eyes remained tightly shut while the snowflakes had only turned into a steady rain, body tossing and turning. "Wake up."

Gripping against her arm had seemed to be a wrong move to take, as her breath hitched and mist started to appear from her clenched fists, and before he knew it her body had suddenly jerked up, still up on the bed as her hands were thrown forward as ice shot from her fingertips with a force so strong that the window burst opened, sending cold night air to harshly blew in.

Now, he was not in any state dressed to brace the cold, not with the thin shirt and pants that he wore, but his wife was clearly upset and perhaps even confused as she gasped for breath, panting as he imagined her heart must be racing, so he had pushed all thoughts of being cold as he went to gather her in his arms, feeling her hands gripping onto him and ignoring icy cold they were, his other hand cradling the back of her head.

There were no words exchanged between them as he let Elsa held onto him, clinging, while she gathered her composure, how she had taken deep breaths to calm herself down as the temperature of the bedchamber rose back into normal, though the opened window was still a slight trouble he didn't want to bring up.

"Bad dreams?" he had finally asked once he could feel her heartbeat had returned back to normal, feeling her head moved in a silent nod against his shoulder as he held her close. "Do you want to tell me?" this time she had shaken her head no, and he nodded in agreement. "No? Okay."

"Please hold me." Her murmur was low and quiet, a little muffled by the way she buried her face against his shoulder, her fingers curling around a little tighter.

"I'll be here for you, always."


	24. Unavoidable Travel

She didn't think it would escalate into _this_.

Darker colored dresses had done wonders in hiding her belly from wandering eyes behind the hands she often clasped in front of her as she stood, dismissing curious gazes thrown at her direction by clearing her throat as it had a certain effect of making people look back up to her face after they realized that it was improper for them to stare down the Queen's body from the beginning. Her ladies-in-waiting had known, it was impossible for her to lie to those who would see her without clothing on anyway, and had been sworn into silence or else they will face the consequences of spilling the Queen's secret.

Anna, without a single doubt, had also taken an interest in the changes that her older sister was going through -both physically and in the way she had acted as well, voicing her thoughts rather freely since she was the Princess, but she had been able to deflect them rather smoothly. Not to mention, this second pregnancy of hers had not been as apparent as the first, her belly had not grown as big -though the doctor had assured her that her child was healthy and that she had been eating enough, so the younger sister didn't exactly have much to question her with.

She thought that she would have this thing under control before it was obvious enough that she was expecting.

But the last letter that she had received had not been easy.

She was promised an answer in the letter before that one, and had breathed rather easily with the comforting thought that soon she would not have to be on the tips of her toes every single day, but it seemed that she had been mistaken -or cruelly deceived though she didn't wish to have such an ill thought, and she realized she was not as close as she believed she was in uncovering the truth.

The truth was to be given to her, but _personally, _face-to-face, with nothing between the two of them and no intruding ears to listen, not even her husband's, to avoid the chances of conflict merely because there was a misunderstanding should there be more than two people involved.

It was right there for her to grasp and uncover, just out of her reach, and if she backed out now then these past two weeks of working tirelessly with her own investigation would be in vain. She had to do it, whether she liked it or not.

But there was this thing with Hans.

She… had not exactly been honest with him regarding her 'extra work' that she had been doing, firstly because she knew he would not agree with the idea of her working herself too hardly and secondly because he had stated rather clearly that he would not agree to this whole correspondence that she had been involved in, so she had been working behind his back. And knowing her family, especially her younger sister, she knew that this behavior of hers would strongly deem wrong.

But the trip was not exactly quick, not with the calculation of time she would have to spend there discussing this whole mystery, and even with her intention to not waste even a single unnecessary second away from her kingdom it would still take her days to finish this.

Telling Hans that she was going was necessary.

"Why?" that had been his sole question when she had expressed her idea over to him, as he stood by the tall windows of the library. "Why Ahtohallan?"

"Because I might discover something there." At this point, even the smallest of clue or answer was needed for them. "I'm the Fifth Spirit, remember? I have a connection with Ahtohallan, it may be able to lead me into something, _anything_."

Hans' brows had furrowed while his arms remained crossed over his chest. "Why would Ahtohallan has any answer regarding an assassination attempt from a man we don't even know?"

"Because he was targeting _me_." As if it was not obvious enough for the two of them, or anyone in the kingdom for that matter. "Remember what I told you, about what I saw in Ahtohallan over a year ago? Everything that happened and have a certain connection to me was shown there, even my Grandfather and his plot against the Northuldra long before I was even conceived. Who knows, perhaps that man would be shown as well, and maybe I could find who had sent him."

Her argument made sense, she knew it was, if it could make the auburn-haired Prince stopped to consider it. "Why can't I come with you?" he asked, after a moment of silence had passed them. "And why would it take you so long to be away anyway? Why days?"

"Give me time." Yes, reaching Ahtohallan and then returning back would take up mostly just a day, but discovering the truth may take longer. "I _will _return as soon as I get something." Rising from the chair she had been sitting on, she approached him until she stood right in front him, hands coming up to cup his face. "And I need you to stay here in Arendelle, for our people and for Wilhelm, we can't both be absent. Besides, don't worry about me, darling, when I'm not in Ahtohallan I will be with the Northuldra, they will take care of me."

Hans had let out a breath, though the way his shoulders slumped as he unwind his arms, instead wrapping them around her waist, she knew she had him convinced. "A week, that is all I can allow you to have." He murmured, forehead coming to touch hers, noses brushing against one another. "More than that and I will come to get you home."

"Giving the Queen an ultimatum, aren't we?" she hummed.

"Telling my _pregnant wife _to be safe." He corrected, pulling her closer until their lips met. "You do know that I don't completely agree to this idea, right?"

Nodding, she let her arms to wrap around his neck, giving him a small smile in return. "I know."

* * *

Wilhelm cried.

In the early morning of her departure, as the royal family stood by the waters of the fjord, the young Prince had wailed as he clung to his Mother, fingers gripping against the thick coat that she wore over her travelling outfit so tightly she was a little skeptical that she would be able to pry those fingers off of her later. Despite the fact that she had explained to him of the reason of her departure, and how a short journey it was, the moment he had laid his eyes on how she was dressed had still upset him.

"Don't go," the auburn-haired boy whined, as she held him up in her arms, clenched hands covering his tightly shut eyes. "Don't go, Mama!"

"It won't be long," she promised, planting gentle kisses over his flushing cheeks. "I can't stand to be away from you either, my darling Prince." That was not a lie, the thought of having to be so far away from her son still gave her a certain discomfort, and it probably will not change no matter how many years would have passed later on when he had grown to be a fine young man.

Anna had stepped forward, hands reached out as she took over in holding her nephew -which surprisingly had moved into his aunt's arms without much protest, shifting her hold against him so that she could free one arm to embrace the older sister as well. "Send my love to the Northuldras."

Once she was satisfied with her parting hug, the Princess had stepped back, allowing some space for the Queen and her husband to speak more privately while she attempted to cheer the young Prince, wiping his face with her hand. Kristoff had gone up the North Mountain to harvest ice, as it was still his responsibility as Arendelle's official Ice Master, and while he was away, she had noticed the change in Anna's mood. She had looked rather… lonely.

"Are you sure this is safe?" Hans questioned, just as the Nokk had jumped out of the water by their side, scowling at the sudden appearance of the water spirit as the hands on her waist tightened their hold. "What about the—?"

"It's fine." She had cut him off before he had the chance to mention something they may regret. No matter how long time had passed between them, he seemed to never truly put his trust on the spirits of the Enchanted Forest, always had been so wary of them. "The Nokk will make sure to take it easy."

Still Hans' scowl remained on his face, though there was nothing else that he could do as he let her slipped out of his grasp. Instead, he offered his help as she climbed onto the horse's back, making sure that she was sitting properly and that she would not slip off -the latter had received the roll of her eyes as it was not the first time that she had ridden the Nokk.

"Wilhelm," she called out, one more time at her teary-eyed son, smiling reassuringly at him. "Be a good boy while Mama is away, alright?"

Sniffling, the boy had nodded, putting on a brave face even when she knew deep down, he was still reluctant in letting go. "Okay."

Leaning down, for the last time until she would return, she gave Hans a quick kiss against his lips. "I will see you when I see you."

"Take care."

Nodding, she had taken a deep breath before she urged the water spirit forward, looking over her shoulder one last time at her family as the Nokk galloped across the blue waters, wind blowing against her face as they gradually gained speed, leaving Arendelle behind them.

"Nokk," her kingdom was nothing but a mere dot now, with the large vast sea standing between them. "You know we are not going to Ahtohallan, right?"

She had to. No matter how much she hated it, to put her family through another of her lie that she knew may only make things worse between them, she had no other choice. Telling the truth would not grant her Hans' blessing to go, and then everything would not get better, she would live her life with the same gnawing feeling that something was not right and that she could not do anything about it. She couldn't do that.

The water spirit had snorted in respond, as if knowing but at the same time did not agree with her request, looking back at her with narrowed eyes.

"Don't give me that look."

The spirit had taken the form of her husband _once_, back when he was saving her shortly after she had unfrozen, but already she felt as if she was being scolded by Hans himself. But she was not going to back away from her plan just because the water spirit disagreed with her choices.

Her hand reached forward to rest against the neck of the stallion, giving him a reassuring nod. "Trust me."

* * *

The small town was bustling with activity.

She had pulled the hood of her coat higher over herself as the sun had set behind her, concealing the platinum blonde hair of hers from standing in stark contrast amongst the people, face hidden underneath the shadow that it casted. She was assured that this town had not been familiar with Arendelle, or the magical Queen that ruled over it, yet still she would rather be safe than sorry, and the rare color of her hair itself was already a welcoming beacon for people to cast their eyes over her in sheer curiosity. And if someone was to recognize her…

Still, she supposed she was standing like a sore thumb, with her choice in keeping her coat on despite the scorching heat of the summer season, but it had done a marvelous job in hiding her belly, even if it was not _that _pronounced, and she would much preferred to keep it to herself just as much as she had been keeping it from basically anyone else other than her husband.

The Nokk had dropped her off at a small remote bay, out of sight of prying eyes that would raise questions over seeing a woman riding on a horse made entirely out of water, though not without another snort of disagreement, which she had waved off as the spirit eventually melted back into the water, leaving her.

Honestly, she was feeling rather nervous as she made her way toward the plaza, smoothing down the non-existent crease on her coat. She had never been traveling outside of Arendelle all alone, there was always Hans by her side, with Anna tagging along during certain occasions, and guards were always at ready to defend her from possible assault. This time, she was posing as nothing but a common woman with no royal title following her, but even if she was to come as Queen -should it was so desperately needed, then at least a common Queen instead of the one with magic pulsing through her veins.

Lowering herself to sit at the round fountain, where she was _instructed _to wait, she let her eyes wandered toward the town's children, watching as they played with one another, laughing as they dodged around the working grown-ups.

Her eyes did catch the sight of a young boy with red hair chasing over a ball as a group of another handful boys followed suit, and her mouth moved to call out for him, though she had thankfully catch herself just as the boy turned around, dark eyes making her cast her gaze away. No, he was not her son, of course not, why on earth did she expect to see him in this town of Hølen, when all she wanted was for him to remain safe and sound back home?

The sight did make her wonder of a life outside the crown, where she and Hans were nothing but commoners, living in a small town such as this, leading a peaceful and quiet life, one where he would work as perhaps a fisherman while she remained a housewife, coming to town to shop for supplies and groceries as she planned on what to make for dinner, bringing along her children and have them playing with the others.

A mere dream, but it was good enough to last.

"Queen Elsa,"

Her shoulders tensed up at the sudden call behind her back, as she had been distracted enough not to pay attention to her surrounding, but she had gathered herself rather quickly as she rose back to her feet, turning around to face the tall regal woman who had called her by her name and title.

"Duchess Atalie. I hope your travels from Weselton were well."

Despite Hans' words of his reluctance over the idea, she had reached out to the older woman now standing before her, clad in a dark grey dress that was far too regal to blend well with their surroundings, already drawing attention of the folks that passed them, though it seemed that the attention did not bother her to the slightest as stormy grey eyes focused only on the Queen before her.

The corners of her lips tugged into a smile that reached her eyes, yet there was something about her that had sent a shiver down her spine. "Ah, it was to be expected. Long, but nothing extraordinary." She dismissed casually, as if it was not unusual of her to travel so far just to meet one person. "How about you? How did your husband take it, with you traveling alone?"

"He's… fine." As far as he knew she was safely up in Ahtohallan, using her connection with the ancient river that held all the answers of the past and what they were a part of to find answers instead of meeting this woman she had been corresponding with for the last few weeks. "Duchess Atalie, I do not wish to sound rude but could we please start discussing the pressing matter at hand?"

"Why of course, I can only imagine your desire to return back to your kingdom as soon as possible, yes?" she gestured for her to follow, trailing behind her as they made their way toward the tavern nearby. "I've heard of words regarding your son, the Prince of Arendelle, none is ill-mannered, of course." The atmosphere inside were even warmer, stifling even, and she had let her hood down this time, deeming it unnecessary to put up to hide her hair, now that she was walking with a woman who flaunted her golden headpiece laden with what appeared to be actual rubies on top of her reddish hair. "Wonderful young lad, isn't he?"

"Yes, yes he is." She did not feel comfortable in discussing her young son with someone that she had only met minutes ago, even the fact that she had brought up Wilhelm as a subject of discussion was already unsettling. But she must put on a good face if she wished to avoid any strain later on. "He takes up after his Father."

"More than his Mother?" Duchess Atalie tilted her head, taking a seat in a booth at a faraway corner, away from most of the patrons, blanketed under the shadow to perhaps give them some sort of privacy. "I can hardly believe that."

"You have a daughter yourself, yes?"

The woman's eyebrow rose at the shift of the focus, though she had offered another smile at the younger woman sitting across from her. "Sofia, yes. Much older than your son, and she takes more after me, thankfully enough." Her hand raised, and only a moment after did a gruff-looking man appeared, with build almost as large as Kristoff -if not the same. Atalie's eyes gaze back to her, the color of them so light that it had now reflected the warm orange color of the tavern, making it almost like her eyes were fiery. "Would you like anything to drink or eat? Surely, for someone who had only just arrived, you would need something."

"Just water, thank you."

Nodding, the woman turned back toward the man, delivering the order of a glass of water and then red wine, and the man had only huffed as he left with their orders. "I would recommend you try the duck, if you decide to stay a little longer." The suggestion did raise her curiosity, as she had not expected for the Duchess to be able to recommend _anything _from the town. Yet, as if sensing her curiosity, the woman had only chuckled. "I've come here before, for trades. Please excuse me, sometimes I tend to forget that my acquaintance may not have shared the same traveling experience as I did."

But she didn't want ducks, if she could manage it then even if they were finished by midnight then she would return back to Arendelle right then. It was not that she didn't find the town beautiful, it really was, and there was a certain wonder within her that wished she could see it in daylight, but she wanted to get this thing as soon as possible because she so desperately wanted to tell Anna about her pregnancy, wanted to arrange for her sister's wedding with her fiancé, wanted to go back to her husband and son.

"Duchess Atalie—"

"Yes, yes, the assassin." The older woman nodded, perhaps a little irked by her impatience, though she had not expressed it. "I feel terrible when I heard of what happened during your sister's engagement ceremony, I really am, and I'm glad that you have reached out to me regarding it or else I wouldn't know how I should contact you."

"He has a gun, it is quite rare for someone in Arendelle to have one, so he would have to acquire it from somewhere else." Even the royal guards were still getting customized in using the firearms imported to Arendelle for testing. "And there is this thing that he brought with him, a poison of sort, hidden well enough that the guards had not been able to find it before they put him behind bars."

Duchess Atalie listened closely to what she was saying, eyes always on focus though it almost felt like she was also _studying _her above all else. "And you fear that someone may have sent him, yes?"

Her head nodded in agreement. "He was not a professional, but having those two things on him could not mean that he was a random ordinary killer."

The same man had returned, bringing their two drinks, and she had paused in her words as he placed the glass of water in front of her -then the goblet of wine across, and already the smell of alcohol made her uneasy. Her nose was always particularly sensitive over the smell, especially during pregnancy, and her stomach twisted.

She didn't think Atalie would take notice of her shift while she had thanked the man, but it seemed that nothing could escape her sharp gaze. "Are you alright, Queen Elsa?"

"Yes, I'm quite alright."

"Not a fan of alcohol?"

Her fingers curled around the glass, lifting it up. "Oh, there were days." Gulping down the clear water, she let the refreshing beverage to cleanse her throat and her thirst. "As I was saying-" something itched in her throat, forcing her to try and clear it, but to no avail.

"You were saying, Queen Elsa?"

But she couldn't find her voice, couldn't even focus properly as her vision started to blur, her body feeling like something had weighted her down as the itch in her throat had turned into the last thing that she had worried about.

"Queen Elsa, are you sure you're feeling quite alright?"

No, she was not. She was far from being alright. She wanted to ask for help, any sort of assistance really, because she could feel how she slowly lose herself, her muscles refusing to move, her mind muddled and bleak while she could not even feel the sensation of the wooden table under her touch.

"You look quite pale there, Your Majesty, perhaps you would like to lie down for a little bit?"

Lying down sounded so pleasant right now, just to let go, to stop pushing through this heavy feeling that had suddenly plagued her. But deep down, at the back of her mind, her voice of reason had told her _not _to, that she had to focus and keep her eyes opened.

Alas, it was not strong enough against the darkness that engulfed her.


	25. Questions

**Yes, I disappeared for a while. But I made this chapter longer than usual, so please don't kill me.**

Her head was throbbing.

Worse than any headaches she often had after a particularly hard meeting with her Council or when the demands of the people were difficult to meet even when their expectations had been nothing but high over her. Like something had been hammering down against her temples and now she was left with the sensation as if needles were prickling against her head. Her whole body felt sluggish, heavy and aching when moved, and even opening her eyes felt like such a hard task to do.

But she pushed through, blinking through heavy lids to stare up at the ceiling above her, noting the dim room she was in with the source of light coming from one corner, though she couldn't tell if it was a candle or a lantern.

What was she doing here? _How _could she even end up here? She had no recollection whatsoever of ever booking a room, let alone actually coming to occupy it for the night. Where was this anyway? There was no time for her to think further as the sound of opening door had her tilting her head to see who it was, bracing herself for whoever it was, but there was only a silent pause before the door was shut back closed.

Strange.

Pushing herself to sit up, she had regretted her decision as soon as it was done, as her stomach twisted and her mind swirled to the point that she was in the brink of throwing up, though she had swallowed the urge back down as she leaned heavily to the side of the bed as she prompted herself with her elbow, brows furrowing as she attempted to gather herself.

Again the door opened for the second time, and this time it was accompanied by the sound of footsteps, of heels clicking against wooden flooring, and she had tilted her head up to see the person who had joined her, though with her still blurring vision added with the poor lighting of the room, it had taken her a moment to recognize the woman's face.

"Oh, thank goodness, you're awake!" the woman had lowered herself to sit by the side of the small bed, too close to her liking though she could barely flinch with the condition her body was in. "You had me worrying for you, my dear." She moved to place something on the end table, a bowl, with a whiff of something that may have smelled -and tasted, delicious if only her nausea had not been as overwhelming. "I brought you soup."

But she was far from being hungry, instead she wanted to cough up everything that she had consumed up to this point, anything that was left in her stomach. This was not any ordinary morning sickness that she had grown accustomed with. This felt weird, made her felt almost… sickly.

"What happened?" even mustering those two simple words were difficult, as she had to push down the bile that started to rise up from her stomach. "Where are we?"

The duchess eyed her, just for a moment she could have sworn something crossed over the grey of her eyes before it disappeared. "You passed out, right there at the tavern. I have some kind gentlemen to bring you to this inn." The thought of men bringing her, _carrying _her, sent a shiver down her spine. No one was allowed to touch her without her say, none but her husband, but she supposed when she was unconscious there was not much that she could do but to be thankful that she was not in any way abandoned.

How could this have happened anyway? She was fine when she had started her travel from Arendelle, she was fine during her ride with the Nokk, and she was fine when she had arrived. It was only when she had met with the duchess, when she had walked into the tavern and sat down that she began to _not _be fine.

"My drink-"

"I fear someone has tampered with your water."

There was no other explanation, it was the only thing that she had consumed in this town, and although her memory was a blur still, she was sure it there was nothing else that she even touched. The thought that someone had gotten to this small town, to know exactly where she was and where she would be, frightened her. No one in her family knew where she had exactly gone to, let alone others, so how could this person had found her and found a way to render her defenseless?

"But do not worry, there are people who are already looking into this." Atalie's hand moved forward to touch her hand, in a gesture of comfort perhaps, but she did not have enough faith in herself that her magic was in check when she barely could support herself up like this, and so she had drawn her hand back. The gesture had surprised the older woman, she could tell by the look on her face, but once again it had melted away so quickly as she offered a smile instead. "I did not tell who you truly are, I simply told them that someone may pose a threat to a woman such as you, it was enough to make them take a move."

"I need to go back to Arendelle."

Had to, now that she had seen that even outside of the kingdom with an anonymous identity, she was not safe, she realized that it was a mistake coming here all alone, believing that her magic alone could protect her. But it could only protect her against those she _knew _was a threat.

"In such weakened condition? Do not be foolish." She wanted to protest, to say that she was alright, that she could manage riding across the ocean on the water spirit's back for half the day, but she knew that she would only be lying to herself. "Rest, gather your strength." Bending down, Duchess Atalie had reached out toward something that were hidden behind the end table, and she had expected it to be anything but an empty bucket. "In case you feel sick." She gestured at the item, sliding it over until it stopped right underneath where her head was hovering, at ready to catch anything that came from her stomach. "You are looking horribly pale."

And she felt _horrible _too. But she was a headstrong, and she refused to appear even weaker before others. She held on, no matter how heavy her breathing was, no matter how sweat had started to roll down her temples and how her platinum blonde hair had stuck against her skin, she swallowed down the urge to hurl her stomach's content.

Her silence had brought a frown over the reddish-haired woman, though she had merely rose back to her feet. "Eat up, before the soup gets cold." Moving to leave the room, Atalie had stopped and lingered at the doorway, looking back over her shoulder. "Or do you much prefer it that way, Queen Elsa?"

She didn't stay and wait for an answer, simply exiting as she closed the door behind her, but still the question had not escaped her notice of how oddly it was expressed. She didn't know how much knowledge the duchess possessed over her magical ability, though it would not come as a surprise that she at least know, her husband -the Duke of Weselton, must have told her of what had occurred during his last visit to Arendelle, before she had severed their trading relations. Still, to refer to her preference in food just because she was the Snow Queen did not sound right.

Left alone, she had pushed herself to properly sit, though the sudden pain at the lower part of her stomach had forced a wince to escape her lips. Panic engulfed her then, fearing for the wellbeing of her child, of the worst that could have happened, but as it slowly decreased and faded back into nothing but a faint numbness, she had forced herself to shake off the dark thoughts. No, her child was fine, it was alright and there was nothing she should be worried about, her child was strong and would hold on as she tried to recover from whatever it was that she was currently suffering through, and that the pain was to be expected at the time of her pregnancy -as her muscles stretched to once again accommodate the life growing within. And then once she was strong enough, they would go back home, back into the safety of Hans' arms, and she wouldn't have to worry about anything at all as she enjoyed the chance to be a mother once again.

"Mama will get us home," cradling the small bump, her thumb had move to caress it with care. "So please, hang in there, little one."

For her unborn child, she would do anything in her power to fulfill her promise.

* * *

Everything was white.

Like a blank canvas awaiting to be painted by colors of life, quiet with the intention to give peace, but it had sent a chill down her spine instead with how _empty _this place was that she had almost shivered as her arms moved to hold her own figure while her feet move to walk forward -wherever that may take her. But there seemed to be no end to this place, for as far as the eyes could see there was only white.

There were voices, faint and almost unheard if only this place was not as eerily silent as it was, echoing against the apparent dome that curved over her head -but even looking up she could not see the ceiling above.

Should she truly follow them? There was no way of telling who they were -real people or simply another siren call like the one that had led her to Ahtohallan, but there was no other choice that she could take, she was not going to stand around doing absolutely nothing.

The voices continued, like a conversation almost, in hushed whispers that slowly grew louder the closer she come toward them. Where was she heading anyway? There was no telling if she had been walking straight ahead or straying to the side, for there was no path on the ground or anything to indicate it.

She was still unable to decipher on _what _the voices were saying, or if it was even in a language that she understood, but the further she went, the harder it was for her to move, as if the ground was swallowing her feet into a thick mud, each step heavy and requiring her to work harder to even lift her foot. But when she looked down, there was nothing wrong beneath her, like it was all just her imagination but had felt so real.

The voices started to grow distant again, going away from her, out of her grasp, while the invisible matter that held her down climbed her legs much faster, to her knees and even up her thighs, trying to swallow her whole. Her hand reached forward but there was nothing to hold on, her mouth opened to cry out but no sound came out, the edges of her vision started to darken, a stark contrast to the white, engulfing her.

_"—poor Queen."_

It was difficult for her to open her eyes, lids heavy and head still throbbing with exhaustion, but she could feel someone's fingers around her wrist, thumb pressing down, warm against her skin. It did not feel like Duchess Atalie's touch, there was a certain certainty in that, and she dared herself to take a peek while keeping herself as still as she possibly could to fake sleep.

The female that sat by her bed was younger, though she had cursed the dimly lit room that had casted shadow over her face until she couldn't exactly tell who it was, holding herself back from drawing her hand away from her grasp for who she was to dare and enter a stranger's room and _touch _them?

But then again, she almost looked somewhat familiar.

Her mind was foggy, muddy with both grogginess and the effect of whatever it was that she had consumed no matter how much time had passed, and now the 'stranger' has become a familiar face that she didn't realize how much she had missed so dearly. Strawberry blonde hair unmistaken.

"Anna?"

Startled, the girl had looked up, with what she assumed would be a surprised expression on her face -which she didn't quite understand why her sister had not _lunged _herself at her instead, eyes wide as she move to get up from her seat, though halted as her fingers curled around her wrist, holding her back.

"Anna, please," _you wouldn't leave me alone, would you?_

Yet the girl had merely wriggled her wrist free, her grasp had not been strong enough to hold her further, heading for the door without even a single glance back over her shoulder, and that mere moment had broken her heart. Her sister, who had sworn to always be by her side, had walked away in her most vulnerable moment, a moment that she needed her the most.

She pushed herself off the bed, as heavy as her body may feel, and had managed to stand on her own two feet, if only momentarily, before she had collapsed back onto the wooden floor. Her legs were sore, stiff and felt like they had not been used for days, pins and needles sensation stabbing against her very skin. But she had been moving around, from bed to the washroom, just earlier.

The door swung opened, and entered the Duchess, rushing to her side after seeing the Queen sitting on the floor with sweat rolling down her temples.

"Oh, Queen Elsa," it almost sounded like the older woman was _cooing _at her, as her fingers wrapped around her upper arms, holding her. "What are you doing? You should know better than to strain yourself." Duchess Atalie helped her back up and bringing her to lie on the bed, despite her reluctance as she had grown tired of just lying down.

"There was someone—"

"You're imagining things," the older woman interrupted. "This is why you should rest instead of going out and about." But she was sure the person had been real, she could feel those fingers pressing against her wrist, the warm skin when she had held her back. "Rest. So that we may leave as soon as you are able."

She may have merely expressed her concern over her condition, her words had somehow felt so… oddly placed, of how she had referred her condition to be the deciding factor of when they could leave. But then again, she may just be a kind woman not wanting to leave the sickly woman under her care behind for selfish purposes. She herself certainly wouldn't.

"Duchess Atalie," she had called out, just when the woman had made her way toward the door, prompting her to turn back with a raised eyebrow. "I never thanked you, for caring for me when you could have return back to Weselton, back to your husband and daughter."

The corner of her lips tugged into a small smile, she was sure of it, but she may have imagined that as well, for it had only lasted for mere seconds before Atalie's expression returned into an unreadable one. "There is no need to thank me, Queen Elsa."

* * *

Something had nagged his mind for days.

A certain uncertainty that had kept him awake at restless nights. At first, he had thought that it was due to the absence of the figure by his side, sleeping peacefully in his embrace, emitting comforting chill especially during the summer season such as now. He began to wonder if this was what Elsa had felt and gone through back then during his absence due to the pirates in the Arendelle waters, all alone with no one but their son in her womb back then.

He had brought Wilhelm to sleep with him the next night. It helped, if only for a little, to hold his sleeping son in his arms, marveling at how the boy had slept soundly in his mother's side of the bed, snuggled up against her pillows as his father's hand gently patted his back to further deepen his slumber.

But no, this was not it. There was something unknown, unspoken, that demanded his attention even when he didn't know _what_.

His son had questioned when his mother would return with each day that had passed, as he missed her terribly, and each time he had to assure him that she would return soon. He could understand his son's impatience in waiting for Elsa, he had spent the majority of his life with his mother by his side, not to mention that each and every time that the Queen had travelled to the Enchanted Forest she had always brought the boy along, thus why the days had been rather long for him without her.

It was only when he decided to consult his sister in-law that he realized that the feeling had not only nagged him but Anna as well, and with their agreement with each other they had decided to come to the Enchanted Forest despite the fact that Elsa had not been gone for a week yet.

The confused expression on Yelena's face was expected, as Elsa may have told her of her husband's ultimatum of only being gone for a week and had not expect him to arrive with the Princess to come and collect her -not to mention Kristoff and Wilhelm in tow as well, but it was her statement that had thrown them off in return.

"What do you mean she's not here?" He had questioned, brows furrowing as he looked at the Northuldra's leader, standing at least a head taller than she.

"The Queen has not set foot in the forest ever since her last visit weeks ago."

"Hans?" Anna's head movement as she slowly turned to look at him almost looked animated, sharing the same confusion but also with a dash of suspicion flashing in her eyes, as if she suspected that he had knew, had taken part of whatever it was that Elsa was doing, while he too was just as lost as the Princess. "Where is my sister?"

And he damned well wish he had an answer, but he didn't and that had made him feel useless as he only able to shake his head.

"Papa?"

"You're telling me that we have been sitting around in the castle for days," the strawberry blonde-haired Princess started, while he had turned his attention to the boy in his arms whose eyes had started to fill with the disappointment after he had been so excited with the thought of meeting his mother. "Doing _nothing_, while thinking that Elsa is up here and safe with the Northuldra, when in truth we have no idea where she's at right now?"

"Anna," Kristoff's hand came to rest on his fiancée's shoulder, holding her back. "It's not Hans' fault."

"He _allows _her to go!"

"Elsa lied to me just as she lied to you, Anna." His teeth gritted, feeling insulted at the idea of his sister in-law thinking that he would have allowed his wife, his _pregnant wife, _to go somewhere without the assurance that she would be safe. "If you have not noticed, Elsa is a stubborn person, and she had _insisted _that she was only going to Ahtohallan—"

"Ahtohallan?" Yelena had cut in, with a raised eyebrow. "If she told you she was going to Ahtohallan then she would have ridden the Nokk, yes?" When both he and Anna had nodded in confirmation, she had gestured toward the river by the tribe's camp. "Then the water spirit may know where she is."

"Only Elsa can summon him." The auburn-haired Prince pointed out, with only the slight annoyance at the fact. "She's the Fifth Spirit."

"Yes. The Fifth Spirit possess the ability to do so." Yelena nodded, though there was something in her eyes, a knowing glint, as he glanced at the young boy held in his father's arms. "But so does those of her blood."

"Wilhelm." The Princess concluded, moving to get her nephew out of his arms and into her own as she brought him to the river, the others following behind, kneeling down. "Do you think you can call the Nokk? We need him to find Mama."

He had expected for his son to be just as confused as he had felt, but instead the boy had nodded -with confidence too, as he wriggled his way out of his aunt's hold, putting himself on his hands and knees as he reached into the water, soaking his fingers in.

And the Nokk appeared.

Jumping out of the surface of the water so powerfully that he had sent them stumbling backward, but not Wilhelm, no. The boy had smiled instead, pushing himself to stand as the water spirit bowed his head down to be in his eye's level, letting the boy to touch his snout with a snort.

The Nokk knew Wilhelm, familiar with him, and vice versa.

Anna was the first to recover from the shock of having the water spirit jumping out of the river, standing over the surface, gathering herself as she stood on her own feet. "Help us find Elsa." Her request had made the stallion looked up, eyes narrowing. "Please."

The spirit seemed to be considering the Princess' words, before he had glanced down to where Wilhelm was, and just as sudden as he had appeared, he had disappeared, melting back into the water without the mean to help.

"Come back here!" he called out, despite his better judgement that he should not have yelled at an ancient being, especially when it may be the only one that knew where his wife was. But he was frustrated, he was angry, and he was done with the spirits.

And he would have come out with more, harsher and perhaps even louder words, if only his son had not tugged against his pants, gaining his attention. "He wants us to go to the Dark Sea. He's waiting for us there, Papa."

His son understood the spirits. That, he should have expected. Exchanging looks with the Princess, there was a silent shared feeling between them, of doubt and uncertainties. Should they? As both knew how dangerous the Dark Sea could be. And they were not Elsa, the spirit may as well had only planned on drowning them like it did to ships that dared crossed.

"We should just go." Kristoff piped in, "I may not know the spirits that much, but I can tell that ancient beings can be impatient at times. You don't want to keep them waiting."

"Do not fret," Yelena added, "The Nokk is going to help you find your wife, Prince."

* * *

He didn't think that he would see it.

True to his son's words, the Nokk was there, standing over the dark waters, waiting for them when they had reached the rocky beach, if only a little impatient from the way he had eyed the group, hoof digging against the water.

He wanted them to ride him, the way that Elsa had done numerous times, and it did not take much consideration for them to decide that Hans was the one to go, knowing that the stallion could only take two adults, and when they find Elsa she needed a place on the horse's back. Though wary with the fact that there was no rein for him to hold on, he had mounted the spirit, feeling the coolness of the water surface against his pants, but unexpectedly the fabric was not soaked, the water that made the spirit's form did not wet his clothes.

He wished his son could just stay with Kristoff and Anna, waiting at the safety at the tribe's camp instead of having to face the raging waves until he returned with his mother, but he may have been the key that they need in finding Elsa, and so he sat in front of him, with his father's arm holding him close, as they took off.

The waves calmed down as they rode passed, as if nature knew not to toss the father and son off the stallion's back on their journey to find the Fifth Spirit, controlled and kept down by the water spirit itself.

After the long ride -that he thought would have been even longer, the Nokk had brought them to a glacier in the middle of the sea, and from the way that Wilhelm had leaned forward with wondering eyes, he had a feeling that this was Ahtohallan.

Had Elsa been in Ahtohallan this whole time? But how could she have stayed for days with no resources whatsoever?

There was something in Ahtohallan that had reminded him of his wife as he and his son made their way in -calling out for the Queen as they did so, a pulsing of energy that he didn't think a place could possess. Magic.

Deeper into the cave, the cold didn't stab as badly as he thought it would, despite his lack of warm clothing, but it was there, lingering thickly in the atmosphere. This place was connected to his wife in a way, the source of who she was and why she had her ability running down her veins. Perhaps even running down Wilhelm's veins as well, though not as strongly.

He recognized the bridge that stood over the dark abyss as one of Elsa's creation, beautiful swirls of intricated designs unmistaken to be his wife's attention to details as he crossed it, ice standing firmly under his weight, unshaken and unbroken.

Further in, he had found himself in the darkest room of all, so dark that he could not see the floor underneath his feet and the walls that surround him, had no idea how big the place was. But it was empty, he knew that, saved from the four diamonds on the floor that prompted him to come close.

It laid in a design that he recognized, a snowflake but not quite, with a far dimmer fifth piece in the middle. The Fifth Spirit. Elsa.

Where is she?

Wilhelm's hand slipped out of his grasp as he walked forward, approaching the middle piece, and when both of his feet were on it, light had suddenly burst from the snowflake design, spreading far and wide like wildfire, brightening their surrounding to reveal that the place was not empty at all.

There were ice statues all around them, moving around to recreate moments that had passed before. Memories. _Elsa's memories. _Surrounding the two, telling them of the life that the woman that they cared for had lived. He noticed how often he had appeared, the years of their marriage appearing right before his very eyes, and he could see the grow that he and his wife both gone through. From barely acknowledging one another to being able to connect and understand each other through a mere gaze.

"Papa," Wilhelm's call had broken him out of his train of thoughts, as he pointed a finger at a memory that had taken his interest. "Is that Mama and me?"

Following his direction, he could not help the smile that grew on his face. Elsa was holding a bundle in her arms, the babe's face obscured from prying eyes by the blanket he was wrapped in, rocking and humming gently.

"It is, Wilhelm, when you were still a baby."

He wished to explore more, to recall the sweet memories that he shared with his wife, to see what she had seen, but the did not have much time to waste.

Why did the Nokk had taken them here, to Ahtohallan, when it was clear that Elsa had never set foot here either? What did the spirit wished for him and Wilhelm to discover by looking at her memories?

_"—maybe I could find who had sent him."_

The voice had made him turn around, it was Elsa's but it had come from one of the memories instead of the real version, and he recalled her talk with her about this. They were discussing her idea of going -and he had foolishly believed her words. Perhaps she had not fully lied, perhaps she had only lied about _where _she was going, not _why_. Elsa was looking for answers about the assassin still, just somewhere else.

She knew something and she didn't share it with him.

_"Queen Elsa,"_

That voice was unfamiliar, unheard of, and it attracted his curiosity as he took his son's hand, searching for the source. He found Elsa, dressed in the same coat that she had left with, conversing with another woman who was clearly older than she -a decade at most. The memory was new but it was situated almost at the edge of the dome, away from the others.

_"Duchess Atalie. I hope your travels from Weselton were well."_

She was meeting the Duchess of Weselton, despite his warnings to not reach out for them, but he couldn't tell _where_, for Ahtohallan did not show places and only people and objects on occasion. The two women moved, with Elsa walking behind Atalie, _following _her as they continued to conversed, toward a small opening on the wall, where Atalie had paused, turning to look at Elsa.

_"Why of course, I can only imagine your desire to return back to your kingdom as soon as possible, yes?"_

She made a gesture of pushing a door opened, though there was none, and the two ice statues had walked in, disappearing as they descended the stairs.

"Where is that lady taking Mama?"

"I don't know, Wilhelm."

He was on his way into following them when a singing voice echoed in the dome, in a tone and voice so familiar to them both.

_Dive down deep into her sound. But not too far or you'll be drowned._

It was Elsa's voice, singing, warning them of the dangers of diving deep in looking for an answer. He remembered what she told him, of what had occurred when she had come to Ahtohallan, how she had frozen and died -if only momentarily. She was diving too deep.

Tugging Wilhelm's hand, he had prevented the boy from going through the hole, looking down to see his son had tilted his head to a side in confusion on why his father had stopped.

"We need to go back now, Wilhelm. There's nothing else we can find."


	26. Private Politics

There was no worse feeling than returning emptyhanded.

His mind had been running tirelessly from the moment he had helped his son onto the water spirit's back before mounting the stallion himself, riding the Nokk across the Dark Sea as he felt the salty sea air blowing against his face, and the whole experience would have been somewhat thrilling for him -reminding him of his days at the sea as a Navy, if only his heart had not ached so much.

Elsa, _his Elsa, _had disregard his very words of warning, had acted out of her own hunch instead of coming to discuss it with him as husband and wife, had hidden whatever piece of information offered to her by the other woman that could lure her into leaving without telling even her loved ones where.

"Papa," Wilhelm's voice was quiet, almost unheard against the wind, but he had looked down to see the boy staring straight to where the beach was growing closer. "Mama will be alright, right?" his head tilted up, blue eyes bright and wide. "You will find her and get her home, right?"

The poor boy had merely wished for his mother's wellbeing, for her to return back home. "Don't worry, Wilhelm, I will try my hardest to get Mama." He didn't dare promise, didn't dare to speak of the word in fear that he may not fulfill it, he could only assure, because yes he would do anything in his power and ability to get his wife back.

The Nokk had halted right at where the waves lapped against the rocky beach, unable to step onto land without the Snow Queen's frost blanketing his body made of water, and he had dismounted as soon as it had stopped, boots creating a small splash against the water as he helped his son off.

The trek back was short and quiet, as the sun had set behind his back, and around halfway in he had lifted the young Prince after he yawned tiredly. He didn't quite have the knowledge of how tiring using magic was -he didn't even know if what Wilhelm had done back then had been magic or simply being his mother's son, but even so the travelling that they had done from Arendelle and then Ahtohallan may have been a little too much for such young child.

Anna was sitting by the fire with Kristoff and the Nattura siblings when he had reached the camp, leaping up onto her feet as soon as her turquoise eyes caught the sight of the auburn-haired Prince Consort, yet the excited expression on her face had soon fell when she did not see any trace of the platinum blonde hair of her sister.

"Where is she?" she questioned, as the Prince approached the warm fire, taking the half asleep boy into her own arms. "Hans, where is Elsa?"

And he told them of what he had seen in Ahtohallan as they sat back down, of the wonder of what Wilhelm was capable of -awakening the ancient river by being Elsa's son, the memories that was played before their very eyes, and the reason why Elsa had left without telling the truth.

"Duchess of Weselton?!" the Princess would have shouted, he knew she would, if only she did not have her nephew in her lap, and had opted for a sharp hiss instead. "She's meeting the wife of that weasel?"

"She may not be as bad as him." Kristoff suggested, though it had only prompted his fiancée to turn and glare at him, making him flinch. "Just an idea."

The exchange between them, and the clear dislike that Anna held over the duke, had caught the interest of the Northuldra girl, who had turned her attention to her with a curious frown. "Wait, who is this 'weasel' again?"

"He's a duke of a neighboring land." Hans explained, "He accused Elsa of witchcraft and attempted to turn our people against her years ago."

"All because he was a coward, that sneaky little thing."

Not exactly the word that he would have used, or one that Elsa would have approved of the Princess to say, but there was little to nothing that he could do. Besides, Honeymaren and Ryder were not royal guests or one of high statues, watching over their foul and perhaps even rude mouths did nothing to affect them as much. Still, he had elbowed her lightly against her ribs in a warning gesture.

"The point is," Anna continued, after throwing a roll of her eyes at his direction. "We need to go to Weselton."

"We can't rush into conclusions."

"Wait, what?" The strawberry blonde-haired Princess had a deep frown on her face, voice raising that had caused the boy in her arms to stir. "Are you being serious right now, Hans? Your wife, _my sister_, is out there with this lady that may or may not -the first being most possible, have a bad intention with her and you're telling me that you 'don't want to rush into conclusions'?"

"'Black Dahlia of Weselton'," his statement had done nothing but granted him confused faces all around him. "That is what the Duchess is known as. She's a smart lady, Anna, she can weave trading deals until it profits Weselton more than the opposing side. If she has Elsa with her, then she wouldn't be as foolish as to bring her to Weselton."

"What should we do then?" Kristoff may not be as vocal as the other two, but he could tell that the Mountain Man truly worried over her sister in-law to-be as well, he cared for the Queen just as much as the others. "Surely there is something, right?"

Ryder had been quiet throughout the whole ordeal, listening intently as he sat by his sister's side, but this time there was something that crossed his face, his expression lightening up. "Maybe Elsa left a clue. A clue that she didn't even mean to leave." Receiving a lift of an eyebrow from the Princess, he added. "Obviously she wouldn't know where to go unless the Duchess lady told her, right? And how else do you royals exchange information other than letters?"

"We need to go back to Arendelle."

* * *

Her sleep was restless.

Tossing and turning, she could not find even the slightest of comfort from the hard mattress, feeling each and every fiber brushing roughly against her skin, prickling her. The nightmares that she often had -of the white dome that drowned her the closer she had gotten to the voices, jerked her out of her sleep, leaving her gasping for air as sweat rolled down her temples before she had used her power to cool herself down, rendering her exhausted and barely had the energy to do anything other than receiving care from Duchess Atalie.

She hated it, needing to be so dependent over someone, especially one that she barely knew, and each time that passed she would push herself to get up from the bed, training her body to move despite the Duchess' words, ignoring the desire to just give up and wait. She was running out of time, and before she knew it she would have been gone longer than anticipated, passed Hans' one week deal, and then he would have known the truth -if he didn't already considering the fact that she married a man who could read right through her at times.

And her stomach was growing.

It's unavoidable. And while she was more than glad to see that her unborn child was still growing in her womb -as healthily as it's mother could maintain; it was starting to get overwhelming for her to hide her bump seamlessly. She needed to get away.

The door creaked open, and yet her eyes remained shut, her breathing even. She had learned that no, she was _not _imagining things when she had seen the young woman that had entered her room, had learned that she only entered when the Queen was asleep and that she must have been a doctor of sort -though she had looked so young, coming to check on her every now and then. This strange young woman seemed to be the only one that knew of her existence in this inn other than the Duchess, and while trusting strangers were not her strongest point, the way that Atalie had spoken and acted around her had make her rather suspicious, as if the older woman didn't want her to leave, intending to keep her in this small almost unknown town.

Dainty fingers came to hold her wrist, feeling the pulse underneath the fair skin, and she had tried her best to suppress any sort of nerve-wracking feeling that could make her heartbeat picked up. The young woman was careful, far more so than the first time she had noticed her -and mistaken her for Anna no less, touches barely a brush if not necessary, avoiding to alert the supposedly sleeping woman.

The young woman had rose back to her feet, she could tell by the creak of the chair as her weight was lifted, and the muffled padding of her shoes against the floor boards as she made her way toward the door, closing it with a click once she was out.

Once assured, she had opened her eyes, sitting up as carefully as she could to minimize the creaking of woods of the bed, before letting her bare feet touch the floor, relying on the nightstand to prop herself up as well as to keep her balance before she was sure she was able to stand on her own two feet without help. Approaching the door, she had pressed herself against it, palms resting against the rough texture as her ears tried to pick up any sort of sounds coming from the other side.

_"-her recovery is slow." _Duchess Atalie's voice was muffled, but it was enough for her to listen to. _"We don't have much time."_

_"We can't push her." _This voice was unfamiliar, youthful, perhaps belonging the young woman. _"There's something that I found." _Whatever it was that she had discovered had been shared in a low and quiet voice, hushed whisper, until she could not catch even a word of it.

She had not expect for the sudden clicking of heels to come next, approaching toward the door in quick manner, until all she could do was to stumble back and away just as the door swung opened, revealing herself to the older woman, who stood at the doorway with narrowed eyes.

Though a thin smile had grew on her face, one that did not reach the eye and instead sent a shiver down her spine. "Queen Elsa," she had almost _purred _as she had spoken her name. "Is eavesdropping on people's private conversation not considered rude in your kingdom?"

"You're planning something." The older woman's act of kindness was welcomed -at first, but the further she was in, the more days that had passed, it was starting to feel like nothing but a fabricated lie. "You're not being honest."

"It amuses me, seeing such a naïve young Queen like you." Blue eyes darted over the Duchess' shoulder, to see the young woman that lingered behind. And now, under proper light, she could finally see the face that had been hiding under the shadow, could see the youthful features of her face, the stormy grey of her eyes. Atalie had caught her wondering eyes, and smiled even further. "Oh, how rude of me to not introduce the two of you. Queen Elsa, I would like you to meet my daughter, Sofia."

That was a form of betrayal, to know that the Duchess had broken her own condition of coming alone by bringing her daughter along while she had no one, not one person to back herself up.

"Do not give me that look," the reddish-haired woman rolled her eyes, and there was no more of that artificial warmth in her tone. "After all, I am not the only one who brings my child along to this meeting, isn't that right, Queen Elsa?"

A thick lump had suddenly formed in her throat, at the realization that now her secret -one that she had desperately tried to keep hidden and safe, was discovered. "How did you—?"

"Your attempt in hiding it is remarkable, I must admit." Cold grey eyes glanced down, and in the utmost protective instinct her hand had moved over to her belly, feeling the curve of it under the icy fabric of her dress. "But you do know you wouldn't be able to hide it forever, do you?"

"What do you want?"

Duchess Atalie's eyebrow rose, intrigued. "Right at this moment? For you to come with us."

She could barely hold back the scoff that threatened to escape her lips as she eyed the older woman. "And why would I?" she was not exactly in her prime condition, even now when she was merely standing she already felt slightly lightheaded, but she could take on these two with her powers -simply freezing their feet to the ground would not take much of her energy, then she could run out and ask for help, perhaps a passage back to Arendelle even.

But her power may affect her child.

There was nothing funny, not a single word, but yet the Duchess had let out a small amused chuckle before she took a step forward, prompting the Queen to raise her hand in a matter of defense, yet that did not seem to shake her at all. "Tell me, Queen Elsa," her voice was lowered, hushed whisper barely heard if not for the small distance between them in such a small room. "What do you value most? Yourself, or your family?"

"What?"

"Because if you're wise, if you value your family -and I'm sure you do, you will do as I say, Queen Elsa."

* * *

They found the letters.

At the bottom drawer of the desk in the library, buried underneath old ones, out of sight from anyone unless those who has the intention to look letter by letter. Elsa was smart in terms of keeping secrets, she knew her study would be the first to be searched, and had instead spent her time somewhere else, somewhere where she could pretend to do something else if someone was to walk in on her. Each one of them had the same seal, of a dahlia design pressed on black wax, belonging to none other than the Duchess of Weselton herself.

They had ridden for Hølen, a small trading town far enough from Arendelle that he was sure most of the townspeople there would not recognize them if they did not have the kingdom's crest etched onto their clothing. Perfect place to keep a Queen without detection.

A few guards had followed, led by Lieutenant Mattias, just in case extra hands were needed. People had parted their way as the royal horses passed them, heading for the plaza, before the Prince Consort had dismounted.

He had asked around, as did both Anna and Kristoff, describing his wife and questioning her whereabouts, but shaken heads and collective no were the only ones that they had received. He was growing desperate.

"Mister," a small voice had called for him, drawing his attention as he looked down to a girl no older than ten, with long dark hair and matching wide dark eyes. "I saw the pretty lady with hair as light as snow."

That had intrigued him, as he came to kneel before the girl, coming at an eye level with her. "And where did the lady go?"

A finger was pointed toward a tavern. "She went there, with another lady with a headpiece made of gold." He was just about to thank the girl when her finger had moved, now pointing at an inn. "My older brother brought her to the inn, after they said she fell unconscious."

The prospect of Elsa fainting had done nothing but increase his worry, as what could possibly had caused her to lose her consciousness like that? "What is your name?"

"Rhanda."

"Thank you, Rhanda."

The group made their way for the inn, though only him with Anna and Kristoff that had actually walked in while the guards were posted outside, coming for the reception desk to ask for the platinum blonde haired Queen to the middle-aged lady behind the desk.

"Yes, she had remained in her room ever since they brought her in." The lady nodded in confirmation. "The Duchess said she was ill. Poor thing, even her food had to be taken up for her, and I can hear her retching every once in a while."

Anna's jaw tightened at the mention of how sister may actually sick _for _real as she leaned forward, hands pressing against the wooden surface of the desk, driven by her desire to know of her sister's whereabouts. "Are they still here?"

And the three of them had _dreaded _the moment the lady had shaken her head. "No, they just left, in the middle of the night. They were acting rather strange," she noted, brows furrowing. And when regarded to explain what she had meant; the lady had shrugged. "I offered to fetch for a doctor -I couldn't stand the idea of a guest being sick like that, but the Duchess declined, said she already had a healer with her, but the only one that I saw was with her was this young teenage girl. Almost felt like they were trying to be as discreet as they possibly could, honestly."

"Do you know where they headed?" Kristoff stepped forward, standing by the Princess' side, a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, it's not my business to ask where my guests are going to, young man." The lady shook her head. "All I know is that they were in a bit of a hurry. The Duchess paid with cash, too."

They were too late.

**Those who said they don't like/trust the Duchess, well... you're right.**


	27. Black Dahlia

**So between doing my endless assignments and basically dying over the final exams that's going to come next week, I managed to write this chapter on my phone in between rendering. If there were any mistakes or weird writings I blame my phone.**

She feared it was going to be a long ride.

In the dark of the night when the town was sound asleep, she had descended the stairs of the inn for the very first time since she was brought there, finally able to set her eyes over the building's interior after days -perhaps even a week, of being confined inside her solidarity room, with a hand forever pressing against the wall to support herself as the other rested on the underside of her bump. The woman behind the desk had watched them made their way toward the door, smiling kindly as she bid them goodbye and safe travels.

Tall large shadows awaited by the carriage, watching with gleaming dark eyes as the Queen of Arendelle could do nothing but climb in, already feeling stuffy inside the closed-off carriage even before the Duchess and her daughter had joined her inside, driving her into sitting as far from them as possible -pressing herself to the corner and turning her head to look out of the small window into the darkness outside.

The road had been bumpy, uneven, and whoever had taken hold of the reins obviously rode with little to no regard in trying to give the passengers the most comfort by going smoothly. Atalie and Sofia, who sat side by side across from her, did not appear to have even the slightest expression of being bothered though, as their faces remained as stoic, and despite the fact that she had turned her head away from them she could feel their eyes on her, watching her.

Constant jolting did nothing to help with her current condition, as already her stomach started to churn, twisting painfully while all she could do was to shift in her seat to mask her discomfort, keeping her jaw set and back straight.

Looming trees were all she could see, as the path they had been following had cut through the forest, and it seemed that it would not end anytime soon.

Bile had started to rise from her stomach -driving her to slightly hunch forward as her brows knitted, slowly yet surely climbing up her throat, and she had pressed chilled fingers against her lips to suppress the urge to hurl it all out despite the temptation. She was a proper woman and not supposed to make such a mess all over the carriage's floor.

"I could never understand the _appeal _of having another child for you, Queen Elsa." Duchess Atalie commented, gray eyes narrowed as she watched the younger woman, yet had not move a muscle either. "You have a perfectly healthy son, no? Does he not have enough quality to become your sole heir?"

What was it with most royals and their obsession over seeing children as nothing but heirs? Her Council had pressured her to have a child back then, ever since she had been married, but that had not been the reason why she had Wilhelm. She had him because she wanted to have a family of her own, children to care and raise with the man that she loved more than anything.

"Didn't you know that civil wars started when children would not share?" the Duchess' head tilted to a side when her hand went to hold against her belly, still trying her best not to let nausea get to the best of her. "If only your kingdom has more colonies to spare. Alas, it is nothing but a small one."

"Arendelle is a peaceful kingdom," her words came through gritted teeth as she looked up at the older woman. Her people would not raise a weapon over others, she would prevent such need to avoid what had happened between Arendelle and Northuldra, no more fights and no more curses to spread among the land. "I do not believe that war is ever the answer."

"But it may be your only chance at survival."

She hated it. The thought, the _possibility_, of having war to be her one and only choice at life and death, to think of the many lives that would have to be lost because two sides could not meet with an agreement of peace as their growing ego took over them.

"What do you want?" she had questioned this before, yet unfortunately she had not yet received a proper answer, not that she doubted they would give her any so easily. "Where are you taking me?" Hølen was a small and quite remote town already, far from Arendelle's reach, she couldn't understand why the Duchess found it necessary to move her. Especially when Sofia had insisted, back at the inn, that they should not be pushing her in the weakened condition she was in -which she had to blame them for in the first place.

"Away."

"_Where?_"

Her persistent in pressing the subject, to milk an answer out of the two sitting across from her in this small carriage, had driven Atalie's eyes to narrow in annoyance. "Instead of minding where we are headed you should worry more over not throwing up all over our shoes." Her words had coincidentally ended just as another harsh jolt came from the reckless drive, and even Sofia's hand had flown to press against the side of the carriage, maintaining her balance, while Elsa's own hand went to hold against her belly once more, groaning quietly as another bout of nausea took over her.

"Mother, perhaps we should slow down—"

"We are already behind schedule, Sofia, you are well aware why." The Duchess' eyes leered at the platinum blonde haired Queen, and she could not help but glare back. How dare she, blaming her over the delay in her 'schedule', as if she had been the one who wanted to be held hostage. "An unexpected extra baggage will not slow us down even further."

The young girl's lips were pressed into a thin line then, as she nodded without a word, seemingly could do nothing against her Mother's words, though she could have sworn she had thrown the neighboring Queen a sympathetic look -if only for a split second, but she could not be sure and would not let herself so easily swoon over just by the girl's eyes.

She tried, she really did, to keep the small amount of dinner that she had managed to eat earlier down in her stomach, no matter how sour her mouth had started to taste, but she could only do so much after another half an hour of uneven road, and she could feel the cold sweat that now drenched her temples.

"She's not going to hold on any longer, Mother."

There was no telling for sure, in the dim light, of the expression that resided over the Duchess' face, yet she could just _feel _that her jaw would be tightened in irritation. Her hand was raised up over her head, almost in a motion of ready to strike, but instead she had curled it into a fist and knocked against the roof of the carriage instead, bringing it to a stop.

The door opened just soon after, pulled from the outside by one of the tall men that had rode their horses beside the carriage, the Duchess' guards perhaps -she almost scowled at the thought of how foolish she must have looked, to be so trusting and left without anyone else to back her up.

"Remember my word, Queen Elsa." Atalie called out just as she exited the carriage in rushed movement, hand clasped tightly over her mouth. "Try anything foolish and—" she didn't get a chance to hear the rest of the threat, as she hurled out her stomach's content as soon as she had found a tree to lean against, palm feeling the rough texture of the bark, nails digging onto the wood. Goodness, this is awful. She had hoped that this second pregnancy of hers would run smoothly, better than the first one with Wilhelm, but at this rate her morning sickness worsened instead. She just prayed to the Gods that it was morning sickness and nothing else. No, whatever it was that Atalie had put in her drink would have been out of her system by now, it had been more than a week!

"Please, _please,_" her back was turned toward the small travelling party, both to save her dignity from them seeing her in her most unpleasant moment and so that she could, if only for a moment, let herself to look as vulnerable as she was feeling, just as desperate, as tears built up in her eyes. Her other hand went to hold her bump, thumb running over the curve that had make it's appearance. "Be strong, my darling, stay with Mama, _please_."

"Come, Queen Elsa," the Duchess had called, with that same sweet tone that had once made her believe that she was a good trustworthy woman, yet now it had only made her clenched her jaw as her fingers curled over the tree's bark, frost growing from underneath her touch as her emotion took hold, before her hand had left it to wipe against her face instead, dismissing of any trace of vulnerability that may only put her in greater state of weakness. "Surely there is nothing else your body can cough out by now."

Until she could figure out how to get herself and her child to safety, she would keep her chin up and her pride as Queen unwavering.

* * *

"Hans."

He was a fool, a complete fool, to be so easily tricked by his own wife into believing that she could handle things on her own, that she would not have risked her life and the life of their child by leaping into her own conclusions without even once trying to consult him about it. Or maybe she did, she had consulted him once, yet upon receiving his disagreement she had been a headstrong and proceeded on her own instead.

He should have insisted in keeping her here, in the castle, safe behind the sturdy tall walls, away from those who wished to harm her and take her away from him.

His fingers curled over the surface of the mahogany desk, glaring at the paperwork spread over it, abandoned ever since Elsa had left on her little journey that now had been proven to be nothing but a trick into getting her alone and vulnerable. By now the Council had been alerted of the kidnapping of the Queen by the wife of the Duke of Weselton, though they had made sure those in town was unaware of this, as it could only lead into more complicated matter if the people knew that their Queen's whereabouts was unknown to any.

"_Hans._" The voice behind him had now sounded more pressing, impatient, and even when his back was turned to her and the doorway as he faced the large window, he could just tell that her arms were now crossed over her chest.

"Please leave, Anna, I do not wish to be disturbed." He may have sounded rude, and under different circumstances he would have immediately apologized, but this matter had been straining the minds of the royal family.

"Someone is here to speak to you."

"I don't want—"

"It's your Mother."

There was an immediate reaction in his body, as his shoulders tensed up and his heart had suddenly beaten faster than it was just moments ago, a deep wound he had thought he had gotten rid off. "She's here?"

"She's waiting in the Throne Room."

Straightening up, he had swallowed the lump in his throat before he had finally turned to see the Princess lingering by the doorway. Elsa's disappearance had affected her just as much as it had affected him, as the responsibility of the reigning monarch had suddenly fell onto her shoulders as she was still the Queen's heir seeing that Wilhelm had not reach the proper age to rule. The bright glint usually resided in her eyes were now dull, as the corners of her lips pulled into nothing but a tight line. The high and joy of being engaged set aside as duty had come first.

Anna followed him, both walking silently through the halls. Neither wish to think of the worse, but it was difficult to avoid, especially since there was a settling gut feeling deep within them that told them this was only the beginning.

The sight that he was faced with the moment Kai had opened the door to the Throne Room made his stomach turned unwillingly. His Mother was indeed there, but it was not her presence that had made his shifted uncomfortably in his place. It was how she was standing -or rather how she was kneeling, with her back turned toward the two royals as she engaged in a light conversation with the young Prince.

"Wilhelm." His call for his son had made both the boy and the woman turned, with the latter rising back onto her feet while the boy had run back to his Father, hand clinging against the fabric of his pants.

"It's Grandmamma, Papa!" the boy had stated, rather obviously, as he continued to tug against his father's pants. "I thought Grandmamma and Grandpapa is not here anymore."

"From your Mother's side, yes." Queen Adela chuckled, and the way she had looked lighter -at ease, made him shiver. "But from your Father's side? We are alive and well, Wilhelm."

The auburn-haired boy was oblivious to his Father's discomfort, instead full of wonder about the discovery of his grandparents and how he had just interacted with one of them. Hans almost felt bad, _almost_, yet he had only patted his son's head gently. "Why don't you go and play with your nannies? Auntie Anna and I need to talk to Grandmamma."

Being dismissed made Wilhelm looked up, blinking at his father in confusion, but at Anna's own fingers ruffling his hair and her reassuring look, he had nodded and left, the sound of his running footsteps against the floor echoing through the halls.

"What were you thinking?" he questioned at the Queen of the Southern Isles, once he was assured that his son was out of earshot by the fading of the footsteps' sound. "You know how I feel about-"

"The boy came running himself, looking for you." Adela's eyes rolled, annoyed by her son's accusation. "Was I to ignore him? He was merely curious." As much as he didn't want to admit to his mother's words being true, he knew it was, he knew his son well enough to know that he would only express his curiosity. "Besides, he reminds me of you."

He had no desire to be reminded of his childhood, of his time in the kingdom that he was born and grew up in, no matter how it was once his 'home'. Because it wasn't, his home was here, in Arendelle, where his little family was, his home was in Elsa's heart.

"What do you want, Mother?"

With his question gone the easy and light expression his Mother so rarely had, replaced by her usual straight one as her eyes flickered toward Anna -who stood by his side, once before focusing back to him. "I am aware of the situation that you are facing at the moment, Hans." When his lips parted to question her further of what exactly that she knew, Queen Adela had only cut him off. "Your wife was taken by the Duchess of Weselton, yes?"

Anna's spine straightened beside him upon the mention of her sister, though she had said nothing it was clear to him that she was as confused as he was in learning that the news had leaked out of the castle's walls.

"How did you—?"

"I have my resources." Again, the Queen had cut off, a dismissing hand waved to gesture that it did not matter. "I have also received a letter, from the Duchess herself." That news had shocked both of them, for the Duchess had not bothered to send any to Arendelle itself. "She wishes for the Southern Isles to _not_ take part in any of this."

"Wait, what?" whether it was conscious or not, Anna had taken a step forward upon learning such request. "And you agree?"

Adela's eyebrow rose, her lips pulled into a tight line, and even without her saying anything Hans knew what her answer would be. "Of course. I will not risk war to the Southern Isles. Besides, your sister had brought it upon herself. She did walk straight into enemy's trap, no?"

"She doesn't know!" Anna argued, "The Southern Isles is Arendelle's alliance, how could you turn your back in time of need?"

"She should know better." The auburn-haired woman said, body beginning to turn to make her way back toward the double doors leading out. She never planned on staying long. "I came here to deliver this news to see, for myself, how you would react. Clearly, you are no better than your older sister, Princess Anna, you are just as naïve, if not more."

Staying silent as Anna continued her argument with the leaving Queen, he never expected his family to care for these kinds of things anyway, he knew them. They formed alliances with other kingdoms, yes, through trades and marriages, but one kingdom's mess was not theirs to care for. As long as it did not benefit the Southern Isles, they would not make a move, especially if a direct letter was sent to the reigning monarch.

But this was Elsa, his wife, his _life_, and though he could live with the fact that his family and his kingdom had the barest minimum of their care toward him, the mere thirteenth Prince who was even less than a spare and more of a burden, he could not see himself staying quiet in knowing that they did not hesitate to treat Elsa just the same.

And though he had promised not to tell anyone about this, he knew that it was the only way. "She's pregnant." His voice was small, quiet, almost unheard of that he feared that he may have to repeat himself.

But Queen Adela stopped in her track almost immediately, freezing in place, back still turned toward them, though he could see the tensing of her shoulders. "Who is?"

"Elsa. She's pregnant." Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Anna's similar surprised expression, but he could deal with her later. "She's pregnant with our second child, _your _grandchild. You know, better than anyone, of how the Black Dahlia of Weselton is. Are you really going to trust the life of your future grandchild into her hands?"

Queen Adela stayed silent, but he was well aware that he had hit a nerve. If there was one thing that could make the Queen of the Southern Isles bend her own decision for, it was the thought of her grandchildren. She may have not been a good mother to her sons, but she always adored her grandchildren, and after seeing how she had acted with Wilhelm, he knew that she had grown fond of him already in the short amount of time she had met him. The possibility of losing Wilhelm's younger sibling would be hard for her to bear.

"Mother, _please_," he never used such tone with her, never being close to begging, and it had the exact effect that he wanted to out of her. Adela turned around, slowly, yet her feet were planted in place. "If not for me nor Elsa, then for our unborn child."

The Queen's jaw tightened, as piercing green eyes narrowed, observing him, studying him to tell whether he was lying or not. But there were no lies on him, only sincerity, only a man who wished nothing but the safety of his wife and child.

"She plays dangerous games, Hans." The auburn-haired Queen started, "I worry that whatever it was that she was planning on doing with your wife will not be the only plot she has up her sleeves."

"I will take whatever risk that may come if it means I can have Elsa back."

"Even when it means that I will ask for some of your brothers to sail here, to Arendelle?" the question made him shifted his footing uncomfortably, and he knew his Mother was well aware of his deep desire to never set foot there again. "Despite everything, you know you need their help."

His childhood crept up from the back of his mind, making it's existence known, but he had pushed it back again. "I know."

The Queen of the Southern Isles eyed her son, finding it interesting that he was willing to admit to the fact that he needed his brothers, before nodding. "Very well. I will send the words to them as well as inform my crew that I have a change of plans and will stay here longer."

"Of course, Mother."

* * *

He was not even the slightest surprised when Anna dragged him out of the Throne Room.

Though he must admit that for such a small framed young woman, his sister in-law perhaps had one of the strongest grip he had ever known as it matched with her own strength capable of dragging him across the long hallway without even the need to look back over her shoulders.

She had almost _yanked _him against the wall at one corner of the hall, deserted as not many servants walked through, assuring a privacy they needed to speak to one another.

"I cannot believe," she started, fuming anger near pouring in her voice as she glared up at him. "I cannot believe that you had kept a _huge _secret from me!" her fingers clenched into a fist before she had smacked him right across his chest, and even then he had expected it to happen. "How could you? How _dare _you! She's my sister!"

Pulling her fist back, she would have landed a second hit if it was not for his quick hand catching her wrist. Once is enough for him and he needed her to listen. "Elsa was going to tell, she really did, right after your engagement, but it didn't go well, remember?"

"But then she told you!" she no longer hit him, but had opted to poke sharply with her index finger instead. "Between that and her leaving she told you and still you let her go!"

"You know how stubborn Elsa is."

"And you can be even more stubborn! For God's Sake, Hans!" the Princess' hands were thrown up in the air to deliver her point as she glared at him. "Just like how we _all _had convinced her to come along when we first went up to the Enchanted Forest! Obviously you've forgotten why we all had gone so let me refresh your mind, we all went with her to keep her safe because we all know how reckless she could be when it comes to herself!"

There was no point in having Anna throwing all the bitter truth right at his face, to state the obvious of how much of a failure he had been as a husband by being so trusting over his wife. The strawberry blonde-haired Princess continued on her rambles, though it had gone to deaf ears as his own thoughts had clouded his mind. It was only when he noticed that she had stopped, or rather had not being able to continue on, that he realized she had slowly turned into a sobbing mess, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes to try and wipe away her tears.

"I can't," she choked on her own sob as she spoke. "I can't lose her, Hans…"

He realized that it may have been the way that he and his mother had described the Duchess, of how ruthless she must have sounded for the Princess, that had brought her into tears from the thought of losing her sister in her hands.

"Anna, hey, Anna," his hand moved to rest against her shoulder, before he had tugged her into his embrace, wrapping her tightly in his arms in the mean to comfort. He never had a sister before, never thought he would, but after years of being part of the Arendelle's royal family he now knew that a familial bond could be formed not only by blood. "We will find her, we will find Elsa, alright? And I'm sorry, for not telling you sooner, and for not fighting harder to keep her in Arendelle from the beginning."

There was a mumble coming from her, too muffled by his clothes to be understood, and he had asked her to repeat her words.

"When we find her," Anna began, "She will get an earful of scolding from me, I swear of it."


	28. Secrets

**Hello, I am back from the Hell that is final exam. I've actually finished a couple days ago but I took my sweet time in refreshing my mind and enjoying life, you know. Also I was stuck at the end of this chapter lmao.**

"You would not _believe _the actual situation we are in right now."

The day had not been the easiest for her, that was for sure. The sudden arrival of the Queen of the Southern Isles –Hans' mother that she had only seen _once _many years ago during Wilhelm's baptism and didn't even talk to, had been the most surprising thing for her before her brother in-law had revealed an event more shocking news regarding her older sister.

There was a certain feeling of betrayal that nagged in her mind, to have the two kept such huge secret from her as if she was not worth of trust even when she was literally the younger sister of the Queen, one that had been promised to not being kept in the dark anymore ever since she had spent thirteen years of her life feeling all alone and believing that she had been the cause of Elsa's self-isolation –because she had angered her older sister so much that she no longer wished to see her, before she finally understood the real reason behind it.

Her confrontation with Hans, followed closely by them basically comforting each other –mostly her really but she wouldn't admit it out loud, had sent her making quick steps through the halls, ignoring how loud her footsteps had echoed against the stone flooring, as she headed to the back of the castle where the stables were located.

She knew her fiancé well, enough to know where to find him during the day when he was not up in the mountains harvesting ice with the others. Despite the fact that he was engaged and to be married to the Princess of Arendelle, the blonde man still insisted on doing his usual hard labor. She couldn't blame him, really, as he had basically grown up with the environment and pulling him away from his lifestyle would just be cruel.

Surely enough Kristoff was there, tending to Sven's fur, brushing it throughout as the reindeer enjoyed his lunch of carrots, occasionally having a conversation between themselves, Kristoff and his 'Sven voice', arguing lightly over their last trip up the mountains.

But the moment she had made her presence known, the mountain man had dropped what he was doing as he rose up to his feet, intrigued as he waited for her to share her piece of mind.

And, of course, she did.

She may have rambled too, and being a little too fast in saying her words that once or twice Kristoff had to remind her to slow down as he did not wish to get lost in the middle of her story and thus missing the point, but she went over _everything_. Hans' mother arriving at their doorstep, unannounced without even a letter so the servants had to rush into preparing a guest bedchamber for her, how Hans had asked for her help regarding finding Elsa -and the strange exchange about his brothers and how Queen Adela had almost made it sound like it would be Hans' last choice, and of course regarding the condition that her sister was apparently in.

"Elsa's pregnant?"

She was pregnant and at the mercy of a woman who sounded like an even more trouble than her husband had been or else she would have made an attempt to flee and return back to the safety of her own kingdom. Shuddering, she didn't even want to know what kind of a threat that the Duchess possessed to be able to hold Elsa back from defending herself.

"Auntie Anna?"

The small innocent voice had come unexpectedly, as both adults turned their heads toward the entrance, seeing the young boy lingering about quietly. Neither had noticed that they had been joined by another, eyes widening at the prospect that Wilhelm may have heard more than he was supposed to, of the reality that they were trying to shield himself from.

Standing up from the stool that she had sat on earlier as she and her fiancé spoke to one another, she had approached the boy, kneeling down in front of him. "Wilhelm, how long have you been standing here?"

"Not long." He admitted, head lowered in embarrassment. He was aware that eavesdropping was not nice. "But," he dared himself to look up, blue eyes wide and God Anna could have sworn that he truly had his mother's eyes right now, in this light, with the same innocence that Elsa bears only at the privacy of her family. "What is _'peganant' _means?"

The question had rendered her speechless, lips parted as she tried to remain as collected as she could. How much could Wilhelm be allowed to know? Hans had stated that only him had known –before he had told Anna and now that she had told Kristoff, and should Wilhelm even be allowed to know? Would he _understand_?

"'Pregnant'," Kristoff corrected, behind her, but she didn't even bother to glance over her shoulders. "The right word is 'pregnant', Wilhelm."

"Pregnant." The boy repeated, nodding. "What is that?"

"It's uh," this was probably not her place nor her right to tell, but the boy was merely curious, especially since it was his beloved mother they were talking about, and Hans would be far too busy to explain. "It's when a Mama has a baby in her belly."

Auburn brows furrowed. "Why is the baby in her belly? Did she eat the baby?"

"No, of course not, God no." quickly shaking her head, she had to clear up the strange image that her nephew had conjured before he grew to believe it. "She grew it, from the tiniest little thing to a full baby ready to be born."

"How did she make it?"

"With the help from the Papa." Kristoff chirped in, and she almost turned to glare at him.

"How?"

She _knew _that this question would come up, but she was not prepared to be the one to answer it. There was no way for her to answer this without feeling awkward. "You can ask Mama and Papa that later."

The head tilt was certainly a way for her to know that Wilhelm was not satisfied with having his question dismissed. "Why wouldn't you answer it, Auntie Anna?"

"Because—"

"Because Auntie Anna never made a baby before." For the third time the blonde man had answered, but this time he managed to send blood rushing over his fiancée's face until it was reddened with a deep blush. "But Mama and Papa have made you, so I'm sure they know."

Wilhelm considered the information for a short moment of time before his head perked up, looking at the Ice Harvester with wonder. "Have you did it before?"

"Yes, Kristoff," she joined, turning her attention back to the man, suppressing a round of laughter that desperately wish to be let out. "Have _you_?"

Taken aback by the boy's innocent question, and her own teasing, the large man stumbled back in his place while Sven had grinned –as far as grinning could be done by a reindeer at least. "N-no! Of course not!"

His awkwardness was actually what had sent her into a fit of laughter after all, as she lifted her nephew up in her arms, holding him against her hip. Despite the fact that she had been there for practically Wilhelm's whole life, she still could not believe how big he had grown, no longer that small bundle that she cuddled up so closely. But even when he could walk and run all by himself, she still loved to hold him like this, drinking on his warmth and softness.

"Now, why don't we get back inside?" She suggested, "It's quite hot today and I'm sure your nannies are wondering where the little Prince has gone to." And that she didn't want to discuss anything further with Kristoff with Wilhelm around, he didn't need to know, in detail, about his Mama right now.

"I'll catch up," the blonde man stated, approaching the two as he planted a sweet kiss against her cheek. "I'm not done with Sven here."

Wilhelm had scrunched his nose at the display of affection, which prompted the Princess to give him a 'boop' on his nose as she smiled, amused. At least he had not thrown a tantrum –according to Elsa's story when he was younger it seemed that her beloved nephew had some sort of a jealousy issue. Who could blame him though? He had been dotted and spoiled by everyone just by being his own self.

They were probably halfway across the yard when she could feel the tugging of a small hand against the fabric of her dress, making her glance sideways to the boy in her arms. "Yes Wilhelm?"

But he didn't speak up right away, which alarmed her really, since the auburn-haired Prince was known as quite the curious one and would not shy away from asking questions. But at the moment he looked as if he was actually considering it, and it made her pause just as she reached the doorway, not quite in the intend to enter just yet but to just stand under the shade that the castle's walls casted down.

"So… Mama is pregnant?" his eyes were casted downward, avoiding her gaze as his fingers toyed with the trim of her black bodice. "There's a baby in her belly?"

Nodding, she noted how _sad _he looked, or perhaps it was more of a confusion really. He didn't quite understand what it was and he was upset about not knowing. "Yes, you're going to have a sibling, Wilhelm."

"What's a sibling?"

"A sibling is like…" how should she worded this? Shifting her hold against him, as her arm was starting to get tired but not quite ready to put him back on his feet just yet, she had to consider some simple words to use. "It's like me and Mama. We're siblings, I'm Mama's younger sister."

His brows still furrowed, though not as much, he was starting to have a grasp at the concept. "So, I'm going to have a younger sister?"

"Or a younger brother." She shrugged, "Who knows. We have to wait and see until the baby's born."

"When?"

Lips pursuing, she herself had no actual answer to that. But seeing that Elsa could hide her condition even from her and Hans, it seemed to not be that far along. "I don't know."

* * *

If her calculation was right -and often times it did, she should be in her second trimester by now.

Learning from her previous experience with Wilhelm, and remembering all of the information that the doctor and midwives had told her before, she had timed her symptoms with what she should be expecting at certain points through her pregnancy even without the capable hands of medical experts. There was Sofia, yes, who seemed to have learned to attend to medical needs ever since she was young, but she would rather not have her around -let alone having her hands feeling around her belly and being so close to her baby.

It was a small secluded hut that they had brought her to, in the middle of the woods where there was nothing else for miles and miles away, making sure to choose a place where no one would come across with. The building itself had reminded her of some sort of a witch's house from the many stories she often read to her son, ironic really, for it was usually the witch that held people hostage and not the other way around.

She was given a room, even smaller than the one at the inn, and this time there was no connecting washroom to it, forcing her to come out and see them sitting around should she needed anything –because now that she had knew of their intention they found no need to bring anything to her anymore.

There was always someone keeping watch in the kitchen, no matter how late she had come out from her room, either the Duchess herself or Sofia, and if not them then one of the large men that Atalie had apparently hired to serve her.

Her nausea was not as bad, thank the Gods for that, but instead she often find herself hungry, needing to snack on bits of food that she could get her hands onto, and no matter how she tried to avoid meeting anyone, it was her need to search the cabinets that drove her to walk out from her room once again for the day.

Her luck ran out when it was Atalie _and _Sofia who sat there, with the Duchess casually cutting a red apple with a knife while her daughter read a book, causing her to pause and lingered at the other end of the table as she eyed them.

"Out for another snack, Your Majesty?" the red-haired woman asked, one eyebrow raised. "Come sit and have a slice." She offered, gesturing to the sliced apples with the tip of her knife. "Do not fret, it's not poisonous."

She would not be surprised if it was though.

"Hans will know how to find me." By the point it was certain that he would know she was not alright, that she had lied on where she was going and who she was meeting, and he would have gone and searched for her, if not already.

Sofia's gray eyes glanced up over her opened book curiously, but then it had returned to whatever it was that had interested her so much just as the corners of Atalie's lips tugged into a smile. "Oh, I'm sure he does." She noted, dismissively. "He may have been the youngest, but he is one of the thirteen sons of the Southern Isles nonetheless, I do not expect less from him."

The way that the Duchess had referred to her husband like that had made her brows furrowed, as now her initial attempt to sound threatening had reduced into one of a confusion instead. "What do you know of my husband's family?"

"More than you do, I'm sure of it."

How could the Duchess of _Weselton _have more knowledge regarding the Southern Isles than the woman who married one of the Princes of the said kingdom? She had once mentioned that she traveled a lot for trades, and she would not be surprised if the Southern Isles would be one of them, but it was not the same as having knowledge over the immediate royal family.

"It is quite unfortunate, for you to have only the _surface _of what kind of a family you are married into." Atalie continued, placing her knife aside on the wooden table with a clang. "Or else you may have known better."

Compared to what Hans knew about Arendelle, she could not deny the truth that she barely knew anything about the Southern Isles outside of what she already learned when she was young regarding the neighboring kingdoms that surrounded her own, as he made sure that it was not the subject that they discuss often. He had told her of his childhood, of how painful and hard it was, and ever since then she never pried.

But she would not let this woman tricked her into doubting her own alliance, to doubt her _husband_, as her jaw tightened and fingers curled into fists at her side, frost growing over her palms. "You know nothing, Duchess Atalie." She was merely coming up with lies, it was what she did best after all. "And I will not fall for empty words coming from you."

Something in her way of speaking had prompted the older woman to rise from her chair, and in an instant Sofia's head had perked up, full attention over her mother, watching. "On the contrary," Atalie started, fingers brushing against the silver knife she had abandoned earlier, picking it up as she made her way closer to her. And while the blade in the woman's hand had definitely made her very much alarmed, she had stood her ground until they were face to face with one another. Atalie raised the silverware, the tip touching the underside of the young Queen's chin, tilting her head up. "I can tell you _anything_ regarding the Southern Isles."

Focused solely on the icy cold gaze of the Duchess, and the blade that was pressing against her skin –hard but not enough to draw blood _yet_, she had not noticed how the young girl had moved from her seat, not until she had stood right behind her mother, a hand resting against her shoulder.

The touch had seemed to serve as some sort of a silent reminder, of what she was unsure of, as the reddish haired woman lowered her knife, as something in her eyes shifted. "Well, Queen Elsa," she started, slowly as she dragged her blade across the table, lightly and had only left a faint scratch mark. "Would you like an apple or not?"

The drastic change sent a shiver down her spine, as she finally taken one step back to create more distance between her and the Duchess. "No." Her initial need to snack on something had long since gone, disappeared the moment her talk with the older woman had taken an unexpected turn.

"Then I suggest you run along and back to your room." the Duchess' lips were pulled into a thin line, the corners tugging into the smallest of smile. "After all, we don't need you… yet."

Normally, she would not let someone like Duchess Atalie to order her nor telling her around like so, but something that she had said made her feel like she needed to sit down, and she was most definitely would much prefer not to sit here with the two. Thus, she had turned around on her heels before making her short way back to her room, closing the door behind her before she had pressed her back against the wood, letting out a shaky breath.

She didn't want to admit it, but she knew that the moment Atalie had claimed that she knew more of the Southern Isles than her was a moment of truth, there was no lie beneath her words nor behind the glint in her eyes.

Somehow, for some unknown reason, she may bear all the information –all the answers, that she had over the mysterious family that her husband had come from, the royal family that she had been tied to through her betrothal.

But why?


	29. Turning Wheels

**Yes, I know it's been forever since the last I updated, I'm so sorry. Life and severe writer's block got in the way and it's hard to push through, but I seemed to manage. Slow but sure, am I right?**

There was a bitter taste at the back of his throat.

Yet he stayed true to his composure, standing tall and proud at the docks as green eyes trained on the golden lion crest etched on the blood red flag as the wind blew past it, coming closer as the ship broke through each lapping wave of the fjord. His jaws were set, shoulders tensing up, using the small hand that grasped his as his sole focus in staying calm. Wilhelm insisted on coming, wide blue eyes pleading as he called out for him just as he was climbing into the carriage.

_"I want to come!" _the boy had stated, cheeks puffing when he told him that he should best stay put at the castle and wait. _"I want to find Mama…" _his tone has changed, soft and came out as nothing but a murmur as his eyes were casted downward. _"I want to help."_

Anna's touch against his shoulder and the look on her face was all he needed as a confirmation before he nodded, finally allowing the boy to go with them. He was lost without his mother, not as bright and cheerful as he clung to those around him, and he didn't have the heart to see his beloved son in such state.

Yet the dread lingered, growing larger as the ship had finally docked, and the cold presence of his own mother at his side had not helped in one bit. He had tried, desperately, not to advert his eyes away as the wooden plank was lowered, allowing passage down for those who had boarded it. His mother had not told him of who she had called upon to Arendelle, but he had a few guesses, and some of them sit uncomfortably with him.

Among the stream of men that walked down, the first brother had appeared, one that he had expected to come solely due to his specific set of skills that he knew their mother would consider useful. Behind him, two others followed -and this time it made him shifted his footing as he watched them.

What he didn't expect was for the fourth to appear, tailing behind the other three, bringing just the smallest wave of gratitude in the youngest Prince' heart.

The four brothers approached them straight away, bowing respectfully before the Queen of the Southern Isles. "Mother." The first greeted, hazel eyes trailed toward the Princess before his body moved to turn toward her, nodding. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Lucas of the Southern Isles." His hand gestured toward the others behind him. "These are my brothers, Jurgen, Rudi, and—"

"Prince Lars of the Southern Isles, milady."

The strawberry blonde-haired Princess gave them a polite curtsied, lowering herself. "Princess Anna of Arendelle." Looking back up, a small smile had graced upon her lips. "I'm thankful that you all are willing to come and help us in this dire time."

"Under our mother's order we could do nothing but comply." Jurgen retorted with a sarcastic smile. "It's quite unfortunate, if only our brother had married you instead so this would not happen and we would not even need to set foot here _at all_."

The corner of Rudi's lips tugged into a smile, if only more than a split of seconds, yet it had not escaped Anna's attention as her eyebrows furrowed at their bold wordings. Her lips parted, undoubtedly to question their reasonings, yet Lucas had interrupted by kneeling down in front of Wilhelm -who had stood dutifully by his father's side, offering a smile. "And you must be our brother's young son. Tell me, what is your name?"

"Wilhelm."

"Aren't you an adorable little Prince." Lucas commented, "You almost reminded me of your father during our childhood. Less lanky, but close." The added comment made his jaw tightened, but Hans had remained silent, watching from the corner of his eyes as Lucas ruffled his son's hair before standing back up. "Well, you do not expect us to just stand here all day, do you, Hans?"

"I—"

"Of course not." Queen Adela interrupted, hand waving dismissively as she began to turn on her heels, intending to head back to the castle. "Your youngest brother merely hasn't seen you for so long."

"Did you miss us, _Hansy_?" Rudi teased, grinning as he walked past the still standing auburn haired Prince, shoulders bumping against one another as he shared a laugh with Jurgen who had went ahead.

A hand gripped his upper arm, prompting him to look up and see Lars' eyes behind his spectacles. "Come, you don't want to stand here like a fool." He nodded to the group that had made their way halfway toward the awaiting carriages, noting that even Anna had moved ahead -following the Southern Isles' Queen, and that they were the only ones who remained.

Bending down, he lifted Wilhelm up into his arms to save time in catching up, falling in the same steps beside the third oldest brother.

"I know how you feel about them, especially Rudi," Lars sighed, fingers running through his dark hair. "But Caleb and Klaus chose each of us for a reason after receiving Mother's letter." The Prince Consort and his advisor -respectively, were the two oldest, and had taken their part in many royal decisions for the kingdom. Hans knew not to doubt them, after all each one of them had received intense and specific training since they were young.

"I'm just worried."

"For your wife?" when he had nodded, the older Prince had only placed a hand on his brother's shoulder as a form of comfort. "I understand. We will find her, I'm sure of it."

* * *

They didn't know she was pregnant.

Each and every possibility had been carefully calculated as they figured a way out for each problem that may arise, or so they thought. They had prepared themselves should the Queen of Arendelle would have written _or not written_, in which should the latter case happened then it would be the Duchess who wrote first -but they had faith in the young Queen's curiosity. With each answer that they received they had sent out a reply that would only feed more into her urge to know further, driven her up until she agreed for a meeting away from prying eyes.

They had prepared for every choice that she may take, had planned _at least _ten steps ahead, yet they forgotten to prepare for a more… _natural _obstacle that may appear.

_"She has one son already," _her mother had grumbled, in the dimly lit kitchen shortly after their arrival from Hølen, as she paced back and forth by the dining table, pausing only to glare at the shut door that would lead to the Queen's room. _"Why does she need to have another?"_

She had not spoken a word in respond, knowing that her answer would only irritate her mother further. Ever since she was young, she had learned how to appeal best to the woman who had given birth and cared for her, to know when to speak up and when to stay silent, to know what would please her the most.

This letter in her hand was definitely _not _something that would please her.

Duchess Atalie had lifted her eyebrow questioningly as she accepted the handled letter, noting the stiff expression on her daughter's face as she took out the parchment out of the envelope, reading over the written words with furrowed brows. Even when she had finished, it had taken her a moment of silence before she put down the letter in her hand, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile.

"So, the Southern Isles decided to take part in this, after all." Nodding, her hand had reached forward to her glass of wine, sipping on the alcoholic beverage with a hum. "No matter, minor inconvenience. Besides, the more the merrier, don't you agree, my darling Sofia?"

The Duchess may have sounded almost nonchalant over the news that had been brought by their spy, but she knew better, she could see the burning anger behind her eyes, how _annoyed _she was over it. "What shall we do now, Mother? What do you wish _me _to do?"

"What do I wish?" the tone used was cold, stabbing in a way that only her mother could do, and Sofia had to try her hardest not to flinch, especially when stormy grey eyes leered up at her, though just then her gaze had softened. "Oh, my darling daughter, you would do anything for your mother, wouldn't you?" her dutiful nod had only made the woman to reach up, cupping her daughter's face in her hand, thumb caressing her cheek. "Then you already know what I wish."

"The Queen is not—"

Atalie's grasp on her daughter's face tightened, blunt nails digging into her skin so suddenly that this time she did flinch, though unable to move away. "Sofia," her tone may have been gentle, but there was warning behind it. "You know I need what she has as soon as possible."

"But it's not possible, Mother." Arguing with her mother was the least that she wanted, but she had no choice. "Not without harming the child in her womb."

"Then, God help us, _rip _that thing out of her."

"I can't."

Narrowing her eyes, Atalie tugged her daughter closer as she rose from her seat, her other hand joining the first in cupping her face, smiling. "Don't be so hard on yourself, Sofia, you're Mama's most talented young doctor, aren't you? I let you learn all those medical things for a reason despite your father's disagreement, remember?" receiving a silent nod, she released her hold on the young girl, instead patting the top of her head gently. "Then use that knowledge and don't disappoint me. Or have you decided not to listen to your own mother anymore?"

Sofia's lips parted, ready to express that no, it was not the reason why she had been denying her mother's wish, that it was their lack of proper equipment that served as her biggest issue, but she had never gotten the chance as the floor under their feet trembled, enough to make the mother daughter to stumble, breaking the focus of their conversation as loud crackling came next along with a gush of cold air that blew past them.

_Queen Elsa._

Making their way to the door that would lead them right to their guest, it had taken the Duchess extra effort in opening the door as she expressed how cold the knob was to the touch, and as soon as they succeeded, she could not believe the sight that she was seeing.

Across from them, where a brick wall once stood, was now nothing but a large gaping hole, broken stones scattered across the floor along with frost that had covered most of the room's surface -even up to the ceiling above them.

She had heard stories of the Queen who could wield ice and snow, had heard of what she was capable of, but she had never truly believed in it, up until now when she had seen it with her own eyes. Not mere play of magic to awe children but one enough to take down walls.

At her side, Duchess Atalie had barked orders for the men they had hired, on the verge of _cursing _yet she had held herself from stomping that low, teeth gritting at the realization that she may have let her guest to slip past her fingers.

"Find her!"

* * *

Her magic had reacted with her distraught.

All this time she had been held captive she had denied the idea of using her power to turn the tables around, to escape the Duchess' grasp, all because she was reminded of what had nearly happened with Wilhelm if she lost control each time she even _considered _the thought. She remembered the pain down in her abdomen, the panic and the horror that overwhelmed her when she had felt it, the running thoughts of possibilities of what had happened with her beloved unborn son back then.

Her doctor's words, the warning regarding her using her power during her pregnancy and the possibility that it could harm the child she was carrying, rang loud and clear in her head as if it had only been spoken yesterday.

She didn't want to risk her child's wellbeing, she couldn't.

But after listening in to what Duchess Atalie and her daughter were discussing outside, of her desire over what she had -which she didn't even know for certain _what_, and her ruthless order for the young girl to rip her child out of her without even a second thought, treating it as nothing but a obstacle she needed to rid of, something in her snapped.

Frost grew from underneath her feet, spreading across the floor and climbing up onto the walls and even the ceiling, seeping through the stones as cracks formed at where her ice expanded until the wall came crumbling down, allowing her passage out to the world and away from her captors.

And she did the one thing she should have done a long time ago.

Run.

Adrenaline filled her veins as she commanded her feet to carry her as fast and as far as they could, pushing through past the trees as she attempted to create a large distance between her and the shouting behind her -Atalie's mercenaries chasing her no doubt. She had to get away, surely there was someone, _anyone_, that could help her, someone who would see the situation she was in and just… helped her get out of Atalie's clutches before she could do more harm to her and her child.

But there were only towering trees that provided nothing but shade over her head, she couldn't even find a pathway that would assure her that people often passed through, and her body was starting to weaken once more, exhaustion weighted her down as she stumbled to a small clearing while the voices behind her grew louder as they came closer to her.

Falling to her knees as her legs gave up under her, her breath came in labored pants while her heart raced against her chest, listening as the men closed their distance behind her. This could not be it, after escaping and running away, could it this be the end of it all? She couldn't go this far for nothing.

Raising her hand up in the air, she had forced all the magic that she could gather in her palm to shoot up into the sky, using it as a beacon with the hope that someone from her family would see it -no matter how far they were, and would _understand_.

Trashing about, just as two men had grabbed and yanked her up to her feet, her resistance was met with a cloth being shoved against her face, blocking the air from entering her lungs as the sharp smell filled her nose, redeeming her mind into a spiral of blur as her consciousness quickly faded, eyes fluttering as darkness engulfed her once more.

"Good night, _Queen_."


	30. Bread Crumbs

**I know I haven't updated in forever, I'm sorry. Things got in the way sometimes.**

He promised himself that he would not let his brothers get to him.

Arendelle was _his _home, he was the one hosting the Southern Isles' royals, their mere presence should not have bothered him so much -especially when they were here to help him in finding his beloved wife, maintaining a good and welcoming attitude would be what was expected of him. Elsa would have told him to keep his chin up, to stand better and not to let his past weighted him down.

Yet things were easier said than done.

He had thought that he had rid of his family for good, when he had sailed away from his kingdom for the last time to marry the mysterious young Queen betrothed to him -unlike his other betrothed brothers that had their chance in meeting and knowing their future wives beforehand, but never once did he complained for as long as he was able to bury his past then even marrying someone that he never met would be much preferable. Having Elsa as his wife was a blessing that he didn't even know he deserved.

Six years of a happy married life -there were ups and downs but it was expected from any normal and healthy marriage, of barely having the thoughts of his brothers and his family aside at the times that they came up in discussion, and he had to invite some of them to his home, to open his doors for them for the sake of desperately finding his wife.

"I say we return to Hølen," hunching over the map that they had laid across the table, Lucas had pressed his finger against the town's name, so small compared to it's surrounding that people were sure to miss it. "Sweep west with your men."

"Why?" Anna had barely spoken since the meeting had been held, listening closely to the men's discussion despite his brothers' initial disagreement for a woman to be involved. "Why west? They could have headed to any direction."

Three brothers had frowned as they eyed her, as if her question was the most unnecessary and should not even be voiced out. "Because Weselton is at the west." Lars replied, tone kind as he gestured toward the line running across the map. "They wouldn't head east because that's where Arendelle is, the same with south because then they would face the Southern Isles across the ocean. North is also edging dangerously close to Arendelle's alliances, they wouldn't risk it, especially if they travel in a small group, they would be badly outnumbered. Their safest bet is to get closer to home."

The third oldest brother's explanation had not stirred a sharp remark toward the Princess from the others, fortunately, as they all turned their attention back toward Lucas. "This is the main road that would lead to Weselton," the eighth brother's finger ran over the line. "But I doubt they would take it, too many potential witnesses passing through." He had added the last part as his eyes glanced upward at Anna, gesturing that the explanation was meant for her.

"So, we take the small roads." Jurgen concluded, arms coming to cross over his chest. "Dirt paths through the woods."

"Find wheel tracks, disturbance on the ground and grass." Lucas nodded, "Their carriage would definitely leave some sort of markings."

"They're taking her somewhere deserted, away from everything." Rudi's finger lingered over the woods that stretched far and wide between Hølen and Weselton. "Chose a place where no matter how much she screamed no one would hear her."

The comment had sent a shiver down his spine, over the thought of what the Duchess would have done to his wife, of the blood-curling screams that may gone unnoticed no matter how hard she had screamed until her throat ran dry and sore, the horror of knowing absolutely nothing about the Duchess' real intention with Elsa as she held her captive.

"Papa!"

He hadn't notice that the door to the Council Room had been pushed open, that his son lingered by the doorway as his uncles and aunt stared at him while his own father had failed to notice him, and only when he had called out for him that the Prince Consort turned around, watching as the boy ran inside without a care to those around them.

"Wilhelm, you're not supposed to be here." He scolded, frowning. He had told his son that this was a matter that would only be discussed among the adults, that he was not to interrupt -let alone barge in, no matter what. "Go back to your playroom."

"But Papa," the auburn-haired young Prince had his father's pants held in a tight grip as he tugged against it. "Papa, come look!" his other hand was pointing out toward the tall windows, at the blue cloudless sky. "Papa!"

"Now is not the time."

"But Mama—"

"We _are _looking for Mama, Wilhelm!" His brothers had been watching them, snickering at his inability to control his own son, and perhaps that added with the frustration already hanging thick over him ever since he had discovered that Elsa may be in danger had made him raise his voice a little, but enough to make the boy silenced himself as he took a step back from him, eyes wide in surprise. "And we can't do that if you keep interrupting this meeting. So please, go back to your playroom and stay there."

Anna stepped forward on his left, kneeling down to be at Wilhelm's eye level as she offered a small smile at the now quiet boy. "Come, Auntie will stay with you there, alright?" gathering her nephew in her arms, she glanced up toward the auburn-haired Prince Consort with a disapproving frown before she made her way out.

Silence befallen the room once the doors were shut, echoing in the halls. And as he turned back toward his brothers, he had noted the look at were exchanged between them, before Lucas had cleared his throat, gesturing back to the map laid before him.

"Shall we continue?"

* * *

Lars had tugged him aside as soon as their meeting was finished.

The look on his face was one that he was familiar with, though he didn't wish to remember, especially since the dark-haired Prince had quite a fame in _chiding _people's ears off –as he was one of those people who had to endure it throughout his childhood. He couldn't understand why he would have to be chided though, he was no longer the teenage Prince that had found himself in trouble just to draw any sort of attention, even the negative ones, or the young child who had been driven to near tears by his older brothers, needing to be dragged into the library as Lars tended to the youngest with a never-ending chatter.

"You're starting to remind me of him."

"Who?"

"Father."

The mention alone made Hans flinched, grimacing in distaste. "What makes you think of that?" he had sworn to himself that he would _never _be anything like their Father, that he was far better than the man who had raised him –or didn't raise him, he really was not going into details.

The third oldest brother's brow had rose as his arms came to cross over his chest. "Didn't you think it was rather harsh, treating your son like so?"

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything."

"You raised your voice."

"Because—"

"Because he was interrupting the meeting?" Lars questioned, eyes narrowing behind his glasses. "It does remind me of a certain someone who had done similar thing, a long time ago." At this his jaw had clenched. "And your reaction mirrored Father's."

He remembered the stinging words of his father, dismissing him with a hard shove when he had apparently interrupted one of his meetings with a visiting dignitary, telling him that he should never have embarrassed him like so in front of others even when all he wanted was to show his father the new swordsmanship skill that he had just mastered. The one thing that he had ordered him to do and told him to report to him _immediately_.

"I…"

Placing a hand on his younger brother's shoulder, Lars gave him a small smile of encouragement. "You are a good man, Hans, I know that. Don't let our brothers get to you." After he had nodded, the dark-haired Prince gestured for the hallway. "Go and speak to your son. He's also affected by his mother's absence, you know."

He didn't have to be told twice.

Anna was standing by Wilhelm's bedroom door, arms crossed over her chest as she watched him come, an eyebrow raised. "Before you get in there," she started, moving to stand in front of the door instead, blocking his way. "Please tell me why we need your brothers, again? Because you've changed with them around, if you haven't notice."

Of course, he had noticed, not to mention that Lars had already pointed it out at him just early on, but the Princess' question had given him an absolute assurance that he had been different in everyone's eyes and not just Lars' sharp ones.

"There's no denying that I would very much like them to get out of Arendelle as soon as possible," if anything he was perhaps the one that hated them the most, "But we need them, Anna." He kept his voice low, as both to keep their discussion private and to keep Wilhelm from knowing that his father lingered just outside his room. "We were trained ever since we were young, but each of us branched out on our own. Lucas is a master strategist, the best we had in the Southern Isles, he knows how to read the enemy. Jurgen and Rudi –the eighth and eleventh brother respectfully, are both officers in the army." Caleb and Klaus wouldn't send those with a high rank if not absolutely necessary, as they liked to keep them at the Southern Isles to hold base. "And Lars… he's a master historian but I think he came as a form of support above else."

Anna's mind went on to process all the information he had just given her, considering his words regarding their dire need for the Princes despite not finding the most comfort with their presence. Eventually she had let out a sigh, nodding. "Just promise me that you wouldn't let this—" her hand gestured toward the door, "—happened again, alright? He's pretty upset."

"I promise." If he could help it then he would not let his frustration got the best of him again, especially if it involved his son. "Can I see him?"

Nodding, the strawberry blonde haired Princess stepped away, allowing him passage as he took a deep breath, hand on the knob as slowly he turned it, pushing the door opened.

"Wilhelm?"

The boy didn't answer, didn't come running and leaping into his arms like he would have, and his heart ached. He had caused this, his own son's being upset, perhaps even disappointed in him to some degree. Finding the young Prince sitting by the window, he noticed that he was sulking as he looked out at the forest that spread far and wide while his finger traced random shapes over the glass.

"Hey, Wilhelm," even when he had sat beside him, the boy still refused to look at him, keeping his eyes on the view. "I'm… sorry, for what happened earlier."

"You don't want to listen to me, Papa." He mumbled; lips pursed in annoyance.

"I do, Wilhelm, I do want to listen." Yet it seemed that it wasn't enough for the young Prince as he was still adamant in not meeting his father's eyes. "I was distracted and desperate, I wasn't thinking straight until I pushed you away. But I know I shouldn't have done that and I'm so sorry for making you feel like I'm ignoring you."

"I want Mama."

His admit was met with a weak smile from the Prince Consort, as he finally dared himself to pat his son's matching auburn hair. "I want Mama too." More than anything. He would have given anything to get his wife back safely in his arms, surrounded by her family instead of being held up in a secluded place, unknowing of what her captors want from her. "Your uncles and I are trying our best in finding her, so you need to wait a little bit longer, alright? We will get her home."

"I can help." Turning his head to finally look up at his father, with those eyes that reminded him so much of Elsa, Wilhelm had pushed himself to stand until he was at eye level. "But you can't be mean again, Papa."

He doubted that his three years old son could do much help, but he had nodded nonetheless. "I won't be mean again, I promise."

Studying him, perhaps even waiting for him to show some sort of a lie, Wilhelm had finally nodded in approval before he had turned back toward the window, finger pressing against the glass, pointing west. "That's Mama's magic, can't you see?"

At first glance, no he couldn't see anything but the clear sky, but as he leaned close with squinted eyes until his nose had almost touch the glass, he could see the smallest of glint in the furthest horizon, flickering every once in a while.

"Wait, what? Wilhelm, are you sure?"

"Mm-hm!" His eyes were clear and bright as he nodded. "I was going to tell you, Papa, but you wouldn't listen."

_"Because Weselton is at the west." _Lars' voice echoed in his mind. _"Their safest bet is to get closer to home."_

His son wouldn't know of this, he wouldn't understand, he wouldn't even being able to pinpoint where west was and being so confident in it if he hadn't seen something. Elsa had sent her message, had seek out for help, and he was too foolish to notice it. But their son, their beloved son, had seen it, he had seen the message and he had only wish to tell him about it, yet he had only pushed him away and delayed the information.

They could follow the magic to find Elsa.

* * *

_"What do you know of the Southern Isles?"_

The young platinum blonde haired Princess pursed her lips as her brows furrowed, the gears in her head turning as she tried her hardest to remember the kingdom her father had asked of her while the King watched his daughter patiently from across the desk.

_"It's a kingdom that consist of one large island with smaller ones surrounding it." _The girl started, glancing up at her father, and when he had nodded in encouragement –confirming that she had been correct, she continued on. _"King Harald and Queen Adela are the ruling monarch—Father, do they really have thirteen sons?"_

_"Yes, Elsa, they do." _Agnarr had nodded, _"The youngest is just a few years older than you."_

Thirteen seemed to be such an excessive number of children to have, not to mention that they were all boys, and she couldn't see the point of having so many. Yet she had not expressed it to her father, she knew how rude it could sound, and had simply nodded as she returned to remembering anything else. _"Their main strength is their military. We trade our resources and other exports for their island fishes, wheat, wine, and cheese."_

_"They also breed horses." _The strawberry blonde-haired King added, _"What else do you know?"_

This had become their annual activity, the King quizzing his eldest daughter of the may trivia regarding their neighboring kingdoms each week, testing her memories and whether she had been serious in her studies, preparing her for the crown that she would wear when she must take it.

It took her a moment to come up with another thing, raking her brain in between the many lessons that she had received for the week from many of her tutors. _"They had a thing with Weselton." _She frowned; eyes casted down on the wooden surface of the desk. _"A certain agreement, though I couldn't remember what."_

Her head throbbed as she forced her eyes to open despite how heavy her lids had felt, slowly regaining her consciousness she began to note the sensation from each part of her body. She must had returned to bed as she had felt the rough sheets that she unfortunately had grown familiar with under her, there was something around both her wrists that she couldn't really point exactly what, and there were evading fingers all over her stomach –pressing firmly yet with a strange gentleness in them, and she had jerked awake by it.

"Please, stop moving around so much." Sofia murmured; eyes remained casted down to where her hands were working against the Queen's belly. Elsa had never seen this room before in the small hut, it was far darker –with walls made of stones, yet seemed to be just a tad larger than her original room that she had put a huge gaping hole on one of the walls early on. Pressing over a spot, Sofia had sent a jolt of pain that prompted Elsa to let out a cry, body jerking away, yet she soon found that those things around her wrists had been cuffs holding her down. "You're bruised."

"Don't." she hissed, glaring at the girl's hands as they reach for the hem of her top, knowing fully well what her intention was. "Don't even think about it."

Finally, the girl had turned her head toward her, an eyebrow raised, and for a brief moment she truly looked like her mother. "Which one you prefer? Staying hostile or let me actually _check _your child?"

"You don't care about my child."

"If I don't," Sofia started, grey eyes narrowing. "I would have executed my mother's wish when you're unconscious, it's easier that way, less of you talking and thrashing about."

The way she had said it alone had sent shiver down her spine, though Elsa had willed herself to remain calm and collected. And she couldn't exactly shake off that part of her that wanted to know exactly how her child was, no matter how Sofia was the Duchess' daughter, something about her felt different –and she seemed to really know her ways like a doctor did, she was her only hope in knowing that her baby was alright.

"…Fine."

The Weselton's lady worked quietly in undoing her top, removing the piece of clothing just enough for her to see the belly, and surely enough even Elsa –who could do nothing but stay lying down with her cuffed wrists, could see the purplish-blue color that stretch over the pale skin.

"Is it going to be alright?" her voice was quiet, merely a murmur, as fear for her child had started to consume her being. What if she had harmed it during her attempted escape? She shouldn't have tried to run away, she should have not put her child in such danger, she should have—

"It will be fine." Sofia answered, after running her hands over the curve of Elsa's belly, occasionally putting a light pressure to feel the inside. "There's liquid that would cushion your child. The bruise affects you more than it did your baby."

"Why did you do this?" she shouldn't ask, she should just be grateful that Sofia was willing to do this, but she just couldn't help it. "Why are you being nice?" it would have been far easier for her to follow her mother's words, she imagined that after they terminate her pregnancy, they could move on to their intended plan far quicker and be done with it.

Grey eyes studied her own blue ones for a moment, before moving away and settling at the small bump instead, frowning. "I like children." The girl admitted with a quiet voice. "But Mother always said it's nothing but a burden."

"But she has you." That was rather harsh, even for the Duchess, to express such thing to her own _daughter_.

A sad smile tugged on the girl's lips, if only for a moment, as she continued in watching the rise and fall of the Queen's abdomen along with her breathing –she was not far along enough for the baby to show movement yet. "My mother never wanted to have me, she never likes children, the only reason why she did was because she _had _to, to provide an heir for my father." Gently, she tugged the top back to it's rightful place, covering the exposed skin once more. "They do not have what you do with your husband."

"What is?"

"A choice for love."

"My marriage was nothing but politics as well, once. A betrothal to unite two kingdoms." An arrangement between her parents and Hans', since God knows when, and had only been informed to her when she had reached the age of eighteen. At that point, there was nothing that she could do, nothing that she could say would severe the betrothal, and she had accepted it as her fate.

"But you got lucky, Queen Elsa. Not everyone had that chance." Sofia did have a point. She had been lucky, to be wedded to a man like Hans, who had been nothing but a loving and loyal husband, one who stood by her side despite everything –not even her powers had driven him away, if anything he had only grown closer, willing to accept her for who she was even when she herself couldn't.

But her successful marriage to Hans had not only been out of luck. There were ups and downs, struggles that they had to overcome together as husband and wife, egos and pride that they had to set aside to meet a point of agreement in which both of them could have the best out of everything. "You can. If you work for it."

"Mother does not believe in such thing. She told me that love is a lie."

"And you believe her?"

Sofia's head tilted to a side, confusion clear on her youthful face, making her actually looked her age, for once. "Why of course, she is my mother after all, and mother knows best."

"Not always."

"What?"

"I once thought that what my parents told me, what they did for me, were what was best for me." The self-isolation, how she was not allowed to have any contact with the outside world other than what was truly necessary, all in fear that her magic would gone out of control and harm people that had gotten close to her. "I realized, for much too late, that some of them were wrong, some had nearly cost me my sister."

"Anna, wasn't it?" the girl questioned, shrugging at the Queen's frown. "You mistaken me for her, once."

"Your hair reminded me of her."

The echoes of footsteps bounced off the walls, startling the young girl as she hurriedly gathered herself, standing up onto her feet as she stepped away from the bed just as the door swung opened with a heavy creak of metal grazing against the stone floor that deafened the ears.

"Why must you foolishly try to run?" Duchess Atalie questioned, eyes narrowing as she studied the Queen. "I have given my best in trying to be hospitable but you have forced me to resort in something so _barbaric_." She had treated the word as if it was poison, spoiling her tastebuds. "At least I know my special cuffs worked beautifully."

"It won't hold me." Nothing could, not when her powers were able to penetrate most things and break them apart at her will. For God's sake, she had just brought an entire wall down with her ice.

Her answered to have challenged the Duchess instead, as her eyebrow rose in amusement. "Go ahead and try then, break it."

Satisfying the woman's desire was definitely not what she would do, but still her fingers curled to fists as she willed her magic to gather, for frost to seep through the metal and weaken it until it was as frail as thin ice. But she could hardly feel anything. It was as if her magic would not listen to her, would not respond to her wishes, she even dared compared that her magic was not there.

Atalie chuckled as she watched the Queen's brows furrowed, the confusion that was clear on her expression seemed to be what she had expected, and she was _delighted _because of it. "I've told you. They're special. As long as you wear them, Queen Elsa, they would cancel out your magical abilities."

"How?"

"I have my connections." The reddish haired Duchess shrugged, stepping closer until she could reach out and ran her fingers over Elsa's jaws, smiling when the younger woman had flinched away. "Be careful, Queen Elsa, curiosity kills the cat. After all, that's exactly how you ended up in this situation with us, no?"

The constant reminder over it, and the fact that she couldn't deny such thing because it was true, made her sneer. "You're merely using your husband's failed attempt at assassinating me, Duchess Atalie."

"Oh?" the woman glanced over her shoulder at her daughter, bemused as a wide smile tugged at the corners of her lips, before she turned her attention back at her prisoner. "You give him too much credit, _Elsa_." She didn't know that the way her name rolled on the Duchess' tongue without her title could sent a shiver down her spine, the change of it had awoken a certain _fear_ in her. "Robert could only wish he could come up with such delicate plan."

Genuinely surprised, the platinum blonde haired Queen could only frown in disbelief. "You were the one who sent the assassin to Arendelle?"

"Why of course." It seemed that Atalie truly took pride in it. "I have also provided him with the gun."

"Well you've hired the wrong man." Elsa informed with a sneer. "He missed."

There was a glint in her stormy grey eyes, as if this whole ordeal had excited more than anything in the world. "Because I told him to, of course. If I want you dead at that courtyard, in front of your people and family, if I want to put a hole in your head and for your blood to splatter on the stone walls of your castle, I wouldn't hire a mere pathetic farmer who had never seen a gun, never appreciated it's beauty and the art of shooting, before I showed him."

_"He was not a professional, but having those two things on him could not mean that he was a random ordinary killer."_

"He's a bait." The platinum blonde haired Queen concluded, blue eyes growing wide in realization. Atalie was right, after knowing the Duchess' true colors she knew that if she wanted her to die at the courtyard then she would have sent for a man that was capable in executing his purpose. But the man who came to Arendelle had also served his purpose, he was there to terrorize her, to plague her mind long after his death, to drive her into digging for answers. "You sent him so I would come to you."

"You're a Queen, Elsa." Atalie noted, patting her cheek with a smile. "It's time for you to learn how to play the long game."

**So will Hans be able to find Elsa now that she had given him a clue to follow? Or will she slipped past his fingertips once again?**


	31. Finding You

"You've lost your mind."

He may have. There was no doubt that his brothers would not have the strongest of belief regarding what he had just told them, magic was far more uncommon in the Southern Isles than it was in Arendelle, especially when he had mentioned that this had come from his three years old son –a literal toddler who has great grasp of imagination and make-believe.

Rudi and Jurgen were the most vocal in expressing how _ridiculous _it was all, following the faint light that their youngest brother believed to have come from his wife had sounded awfully similar to the children believe of following the second star to the right should they wish to find a new undiscovered land. To put it simply, it was nothing but nonsense.

"But we _are _going to head west anyway, no?" Lars reasoned; his eyes were solely directed at the eighth brother while he ignored the other three.

Lucas' eyes flickered up to meet the older, brows furrowing. "So, you suggest we believe the words of a child?"

"Even if it is untrue, the direction did not stray from our original plan." The third oldest shrugged, adjusting the way his spectacles sat across his nose. "But you're the Master Strategist one between us, brother, and I shall place the final decision to you."

Fingers running through sandy blonde hair, Hans noted the way Lucas' jaws tightened, eyes casted down at the map that had not been disturbed ever since their last meeting, studying the surface of it as the gears in his head turned.

During this moment, Hans himself had decided for his own choice. Whatever it was that Lucas would have to say in the end, he would still go and chase that glint of magic, even if it meant going alone, even if it meant that should it was false belief and he would have his brothers ridiculing him when he returned. He owed it to his son for his poor treatment of him earlier, even when Wilhelm had forgiven him, he still had to make this right, he had to at least try and show his son that he really did believe in his words.

"Very well." Lucas nodded, straightening up. "We shall leave tomorrow, at dawn."

Rudi stepped forward, undoubtedly in disbelief just by his expression, his brows furrowing so deeply his face might as well remained that way permanently. "Are you really going to stomp down and believe all of this nonsense? Magic and a word of a child?"

In turn, Lucas had also had his brows furrowed at his younger brother's doubt over his decision. "If you had listened properly, dear brother, you would have known that Lars had a point. We are going west, with or without our nephew's words. I don't think there is much for you to argue here."

"Then it is settled." Jurgen concluded with a huff, breaking the growing tension. "We should get plenty of rest, got a damsel in distress to rescue tomorrow."

One by one they dispersed, leaving the Council Room, with Hans tailing the last, though he had to mentally cursed himself on deciding not to leave earlier, as he had met his mother at the other side of the door, feet stopping in an instant just as she raised her eyebrow at the tensed-up shoulders of her youngest son.

"Walk with me?" it was expressed more of a question, but truly, he didn't feel like he had any other choice but to nod, tugging the door closed behind him as the Queen of the Southern Isles spun at her heels, going ahead.

It didn't take him much to catch up really, his mother did not walk as fast as she usually did, for she intended to prolong the conversation as much as she possibly could. "What do you wish to talk about, Mother?"

"Is it not allowed for a mother to wish for her son to simply walk with her? Especially during such a peaceful night."

"I know you are not that type of a person."

Queen Adela's lips were pulled into a thin straight line at his comment, though her eyes remained trailed forward to the castle's hallways. "I heard that you and your brothers are going tomorrow." Of course, she had, even without her immediate presence in the room, she always found her way in knowing things. Perhaps having thirteen sons really had it's perks. "I only wish for you to be careful."

"You know I am."

"Not when it comes to your wife, you're not." The Queen shook her head, stopping in her track –followed closely by him. "You love her unconditionally, Hans, and I'm truly glad that you do. But your love could blind you, make you careless, and do not try to deny it." she added with a pointed look just as his lips parted to voice an argument. "You need to stay sharp, Hans, especially if you come across _her_."

His jaw tightened. It had almost felt like his mother's words had meant that his love for Elsa was a _weakness_, his undoing. "Perhaps if Father had not done what he did," he started through gritted teeth. "There would not have been the Black Dahlia of Weselton."

"You can't blame the past, Hans."

"I can when it affects _my _future." Affecting his life and his own little family despite them having nothing to do with what had happened, all the while his Father sat on his throne, drinking mead to his heart's desire, safe and sound behind the castle's walls surrounded by guards standing alert day and night. "If he hadn't—"

"I am well aware of his sins, Hans." Queen Adela cut off, holding her hand up to silence him. "I was there, standing right by his side, when he had made that decision. I look her right in the eyes, I watch her face and the way her expression changed, that day."

"And yet you did nothing, Mother."

"He is the King," the Queen of the Southern Isles had let out a sigh then, almost sounding… _tired._ "There is only so much that I can do."

No matter how much of a powerful woman his mother was, how respected and held high she was, his father still sat above her, still had power over her and the entire nation, his words were the law of the Southern Isles until Caleb ascend the throne when he passed away.

With the moonlight illuminating her through the large tall windows like this, Hans could see that age had truly gotten a hold of his mother. The crease of wrinkles adorning her skin, the tiredness in her eyes, the streaks of grey in her auburn hair, everything had been the price of living for more than half a decade already, mothering thirteen boys to fulfill the King's desire of spreading the Southern Isles' reign far and wide through his heirs.

"It's late." Breaking the silence between them, the Prince Consort had nodded toward the darkened sky outside, moon already high up and surrounded with blinking stars. "Excuse me, but I must retire back to my chambers and rest for tomorrow's journey."

"Of course." Nodding, Queen Adela had started to make her leave, taking a few steps forward before she had paused once again, head turning to look over her shoulder at her youngest. "I really do try, Hans, to change the things that your father had decided, but he is your father, you know how he is."

Perhaps she hasn't tried harder.

* * *

The sun was already setting behind them.

It was never a short journey to make from Arendelle to Hølen, the two places were separated by a vast forest and grass field, it would have been a truly wonderful sight to behold –especially during the summer such as now, yet never once did he slowed Sitron down as the five Princes rode across on their horsebacks with the Arendelle's royal guards following close behind. There was no such time to stop and enjoy the view, even their rest was kept as short as possible, just enough to let the horses graze and drink as they gathered their strength back up while their riders stretched their legs.

He didn't want to waste even a minute in searching for his wife. Not when they were so close with new leads to follow.

Eyes were on them when they had arrived in town as people scrambled and stumbled backward to avoid standing in the way and being trampled over, parents tugging their children back as some were too curious in having so many royals at the same time. They didn't stop, didn't even slow down as they cut through the plaza, heading straight west.

Craning his neck, he had stared up, frowning at the dense foliage over their heads. He had noted that the blinking magic in the sky –_Elsa's magic_, had grown bigger the closer the more they had traveled west, but as soon as they had left town and entered the forest, he now even had a hard time looking for the blue sky.

So far, they had not seen anything out of the ordinary the further they cautiously rode their horses, no disturbance on the ground or their surroundings for that matter. It had been a while since his last journey to Hølen, back when he had followed Ahtohallan's clue, nature must have hidden the tracks they were desperately looking for.

"It will be dark soon." Rudi noted with a huff. "And we haven't found _anything_."

Even Lucas had looked rather uncomfortable now, his confidence in tracking slowly fading away, he may even consider telling them to turn back around.

A gush of wind blew past them, the direction felt unnatural as it came from their backs and yet seemed that it had only blew around the men as a high-pitched sound whistled past, prompting confused looks to be exchanged between the Princes and the guards.

_Gale._

The spirits had never left the Enchanted Forest before, saved from the Nokk who had taken Elsa as far as it could to Hølen as per her request, and the Southern Isles royals had never even encountered such beings before. But he has, he has and he knew that the wind spirit was trying to lead them.

Giving a look at Lars, a silent banter in hope that he could understand his meaning, Hans had urged Sitron forward, following the wind spirit. A moment passed before he could hear the galloping behind him, as the third brother had somehow made the others to follow the youngest, abandoning the small road they had been following as Gale had revealed the wheel tracks on the ground as he passed and blew the dried leaves away.

Finally, after riding deeper into the forest, the wind spirit had led them into a small clearing, circling around one specific spot and disappearing once the auburn-haired Prince had dismounted his stallion and opted to move by his own feet instead. There was something there, on the ground, glinting under the dull afternoon light, and as he lowered himself to his knees, green eyes had widened as he finally saw what it was.

There, half hidden under dried leaves, was the ring that he had known so well. _Elsa's ring._

He had given it to her, had handpicked the snowflake design as her wedding ring long before he had even known of her magic. Back then, he had only thought of her hair, platinum blonde framing her fair face, reminding him of winter and snow. He had not the slightest idea that it would have meant more than that.

"Hans," Lucas called out, prompting him to look up from the piece of jewelry that had never once left his wife's finger. Following the direction that the older brother was pointing at; his heart had skipped a beat.

The distance made it small, easy to miss especially when the day was starting to darkened, but Lucas' keen eyes had caught the sight of it. A cottage.

_Elsa._

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet.

The large gaping hole on the wall, embedded with frost and ice, had been enough for them to know that Elsa was there, she had tried to escape, to run away from her captor; the only question that remained was whether she had succeeded.

Each had drawn their sword, gripping tightly as they took cautious steps in, ordering for the guards to be on the watch outside, gritting their teeth with each squeak the wooden floor made under their heavy boots. The cottage had looked vacant, lifeless, _abandoned_; yet it did not mean that they could lower their defenses for a trick may be up to jump them at any given moment.

"I don't think they're here." Jurgen huffed through gritted teeth, in such a place with no much source of light to illuminate them his eyes had looked even darker. "It's going to be dark soon."

Had he lost her once again? Had she slipped past his fingers for the second time after he had been so close in finding her? Her ring had somehow felt heavier in his pocket as the thoughts of not being able to see his wife weighted him down.

"Very well." The sigh that he had let out was heavy, defeated. He knew that searching in the dark would not be as effective, they would be barely able to see anything, and they could always continue on tomorrow, after resting at the town's small inn. "Let us head back."

He had been so hopeful, with all the traces and clues that she had apparently left him, of how his own brothers had been helping him to some degree –although some were less willing than others, and with the ring and the gaping hole he had thought that he would finally see her face again, to be able to get her back to the safety of their castle, but it seemed that the Duchess had once again being one step ahead of—

A sound. Faint, muffled, felt as if it was distant and yet it was still inside the cottage, had barely reached his ears; like something had fallen onto the floor in a thump.

Raising his hand, a silent gesture for his brothers to stop and not make a sound, he had listened intently to the air –of every breath that his brothers take and past the beat of his own heart against his chest, _waiting _with held back breath that he had not imagined whatever it was that he had heard.

Another one, and this time the rest of the brothers had heard it too as their heads perked up over the sound of something dull coming in contact with hard ground. Someone was here, _Elsa _was probably still here, and this was her way of telling him.

Lucas motioned toward the floor. There was something underneath them, a hidden passageway or a room of sort, and it was where the noise had come from.

It was Lars who had found the scratches on the wooden floor, right by the empty shelf that towered up to the ceiling, standing like a sore thumb in such a small space. Following the direction of it, they had pushed the piece of furniture aside to reveal a gaping hole on the wall in the size of a door, a staircase leading down into the dark.

Her name was all that he could think about, repeating over and over again like a spell as he stepped forward, letting the pouring moonlight to lead him deeper as his brothers –though unsure, followed close behind.

At the base of the staircase there stood a singular door made of metal, shut tight with only a small opening acting as a window that illuminated dull warm light from within. His breath hitched, as this could turn to be either good or bad, as he swallowed the lump in his throat, settling himself as for the first time he dared himself to call for her name out loud.

"Elsa?"

A moment passed, though it felt like it was far longer than that for him as his heart had beginning to flatter, before there was a clank of metal –chains perhaps, from inside, followed with a feminine gasp. "Hans!"

It felt like his heart had burst then as he leaped toward the door, body practically slamming itself against the cold surface of the metal, peering into the door. And there she was, sitting on the bed across the small room, eyes wide and teary staring back at him under the dim light. His gaze didn't leave hers as his hands struggled against the handle that had refused to budge.

The door was not locked –merely slightly jammed, and was able to be pushed open with a heavy creak as metal grazed against the stone flooring, and Hans had not waste even a single second to burst in and made his way to his wife, enveloping her in his embrace just as she had gotten up to stand.

She froze, if only momentarily, brain processing everything before her body eventually trembled, heart racing against his own chest, as her fingers curled around the fabric of his clothing –holding tight as if she was afraid that he would be gone if she let go, as if he was nothing but a mere imagination, nails dully digging into it.

She didn't let go, even as his brothers worked their way in trying to unlock the chains that were attached to both of her wrists, connecting her to the wall by the bed's side. She didn't even flinch when they turned the key around to release her after finding the small piece of metal lying just by the entrance as if _it was left there_. Her hold against her husband remained, shaky but had that vice-like grip that he could not escape from –nor that he wanted to as he kept her in his embrace, just utterly relieved that he could hold her once again, to find her in a _mostly _good shape although he could tell that she was in a brim of tears even without having to have a look at her face that she had buried against his shoulder.

"Take me home," she murmured, voice somewhat muffled by his jacket that he had almost missed the exhausted and utterly defeated tone laced in it. "_Please…_"

She was pleading, he even dared say that she almost sounded so hopeless, like she had believed that he would not come for her –that she would forever becoming a prisoner stuck in such a horrible situation, that he would give up and leave her.

"We will, Elsa, we will go home."


	32. Home is Where the Heart is

She was home.

Navigating his way through the halls, watching as people come and go –waving his hand when they had noticed him and gave a little bow or a nod in acknowledgement, the pitter-patter of his feet was nothing compared to the working shoes that the adults wore. They had appeared to be so busy this morning, busier than usual even as even his Papa and Auntie Anna had not greeted him at all and instead had him being handled by his nannies the moment he had awoken.

Hushed whispers were exchanged above him, too low for his ears to catch especially when they had stopped the when they had seen him nearby. There were secrets being exchanged it seemed, yet none seemed to bother sharing with him.

Mama would have shared. She told him _everything. _She would have sat him on her lap as she told him stories, of her day and the nosy Council men as she imitated their grumpy voices –and he would have laughed because his Mama was the best at doing it. Sure, Auntie Anna's voices and her big gestures make everything funnier, but there was something different when Mama did it, just different.

And he missed that.

"—you have to." His feet stopped, just around the corner of the hall, head perking up at the voice of his Auntie. "I know you don't want to leave her, Hans, but the Council had been asking tirelessly."

"Then tell them I'm busy attending to my wife." Papa had sounded mad, he rarely did, and it made the young Prince remained at his place, not daring to make a sound. But did he just mention Mama?

"She's resting." Auntie Anna insisted, "I'm sure they won't keep you long. I'll be here to watch over her, I promise."

A sigh, then he heard as his Papa's footsteps moved and grew further until he couldn't hear it anymore. Peering around the corner, he could see his Auntie standing by the door to his parents' bedchamber. When her turquoise eyes had caught the sight of him, she had looked rather surprised, but why would she? She knew he was there, in the castle, this was his home too after all.

"Wilhelm, hi, what are you doing here?"

He didn't know if he should ask. But he wanted to. He had to. "Is Mama home?"

The strawberry-blonde haired Princess bit her lower lip, considering things. But why would she? The answer was easy: yes or no. Only when he had pressed on by calling her name that she finally nodded, slowly. "Yes, she's home, Wilhelm. She came home last night."

Why didn't anyone tell him? She's his Mama, she was the person that he loved so much, and everyone knew how much he missed her. Yet none of that mattered to him for long because she was home, she was here, back in the castle where he was. Eyes lightening up, he had not hesitated in making his way close, eyes fixed on the closed wooden door, but his Auntie had move to block his way.

She lowered herself to crouch in front of him so that she could be at his eye level, hand gently reaching out to hold him by his upper arm. "Mama's sleeping, Wilhelm." She told him, though he already knew because that was what she had told Papa as well. "We shouldn't bother her."

Brows furrowing, he couldn't understand why he shouldn't 'bother' her. He did it all the time, coming to wake her up if she wasn't already there when he woke up. Mama never said no to that. "But I want to see Mama!"

"I know, I know." The Princess sighed, offering a small smile as she nodded. "But she had a rough—" she paused, if only for a moment, before continuing. "She had a tough time when she was away. She's tired."

"I want to be with Mama!" Just that, nothing else. He would even trade his toys with his Auntie just to be let in. She was there, right at the other side of the door, but why couldn't he see her? Frustrated, his eyes had started to well up with tears. "I missed Mama!"

"I know, Wilhelm, I know you do." Then why? Auntie Anna loved to give him what he wanted, and this was all he ever wanted. Just his Mama. "But you have to be patient." He couldn't, not when he missed her so much, not when he had spent a long time without her. "I'll tell you what, in the afternoon you can see her."

Why the afternoon? Why not now? He wanted to cry, to whine, and to show his Auntie that he didn't like this, not one bit. But Mama's words echoed in his mind, telling him to be good, and he resigned from his initial temper. Mama loved it when he was a good boy, she would praise him and give him kisses. He shouldn't get angry.

Still, he couldn't avoid the sniffle that escaped him as he used the back of his hand to wipe his nose. "The afternoon?" he repeated, as his attempt at confirmation that he really couldn't just see her _now_. When the Princess had nodded, he had let his head hung low in defeat. "Okay…"

"Go play with Olaf for now, alright?"

But even the snowman could not entertain him.

Everything felt so dull, nothing was fun for him, not even his many toys that was offered up by his nannies nor the endless chatter that he usually had with Olaf was able to turn the frown on his face into a smile as he listened to the bustling day outside of the door. Why would Auntie Anna _not _let him see Mama? Why didn't Papa? Everyone seemed to be so busy today.

"I don't understand, Olaf." He complained, pursing his lips in annoyance. "Adults are so weird."

The snowman nodded, sharing similar feeling of confusion as he too was declined to come and see the newly returned Queen. "They really do."

Tossing the wooden toy horse aside in distaste –he was in no mood to play knights if there was no Mama to play the Princess and every other character that he may wish to add in the story, he opted to pick up the knitted penguin doll that his Auntie had found up in the passageways during her hunt for treasure.

"Mama must be lonely." He lamented, tugging lightly at the three thread strands that made up the doll's hair, earning a nod of agreement from the snowman once again. He always liked Sir Jorgenbjorgen, kept him close wherever he was, even bringing him to bed to keep him company. But maybe, just maybe, this time someone needed him more. "We should take Sir Jorgenbjorgen to Mama!"

After all, the doll had once belonged to her, and she may be looking for it, looking for a friend to talk to as she stayed in bed. It could get really boring quickly, not going outside to play.

"That is a brilliant idea!" Olaf gasped, clapping his hands together in amazement, and Wilhelm himself had taken pride of his ability to come up with such thought. "You should take him to her immediately!"

"But… what about Auntie Anna?"

"You're just giving Elsa a friend, I'm sure she'll understand."

Yes, he was just giving one of his toys to Mama so that she wouldn't be lonely while everyone else was too busy to stay with her and he couldn't be there until afternoon just like Auntie Anna had said, it will be fine.

Jumping onto his feet, he was quick to make his way to the doorway, calling back that he would be right back soon as the sullen expression was immediately replaced with one of determination while he ran past the servants that had moved back as not to collide with the young Prince, the knitted penguin clutched tightly in his hand.

He had just reached the end of the hallway when he had to once again stopped at his tracks, watching as Auntie Anna exited from Mama's bedchamber with the doctor following behind her. He remembered him, had seen him frequent the castle's grounds especially when someone is sick. They seemed to be engaged in a conversation, though it was far too hushed and quiet for him to truly listen.

"—baby seemed fine." The doctor nodded, as he walked by the Princess side, unknowingly passing the young Prince who had step back and hide as not to alert them of his presence. "But the Queen needs all the rest she could get. Her pulse is rather weak."

This brought a frown to both the strawberry-blonde haired Princess _and _the young Prince. Mama is sick?

He remained quiet until the two disappeared around the corner, casting his eyes down to the doll he had been holding tightly. Mama couldn't be sick, she never did. Even that one time that Auntie Anna was overwhelmed by sneezing as she suffered through the spring pollens, Mama remained strong and had only smiled as she tended to her sister.

Shaking his head, he reassured himself that no, Mama wouldn't be sick, the doctor must have been wrong. But he did take cautious steps as he neared the door, just in case someone would catch him, and had taken the utmost care in pushing it opened as he peered inside.

Mama was nowhere to be seen, at least from this angle, not sitting at her mirror brushing her hair or even reading a book on the armchair that they had spent countless nights at as she told him of stories as he sat on her lap. Pushing himself further, Wilhelm had tilted his head at the sight of the heap of blankets on the bed. When Auntie Anna had said that Mama was sleeping, he didn't think that she would actually be asleep, Mama never slept in the middle of the day, she always been up and going all around the castle, she was Queen after all and Queens were always busy.

Inching closer, the young Prince had taken a moment to consider in what he would do. He was not supposed to be here before noon, he promised Auntie Anna that he would be good, but Mama seemed… odd. He may get in trouble for this, but at this moment he didn't really care as he pulled himself up onto the large bed, crawling across to where the heap of blankets was, he had to look.

"Mama?" There was no respond that came from the Queen, leaving the boy to stare at nothing but platinum blonde hair peeking out. Moving closer, he held onto what he assumed to be her shoulder –or maybe her arm, shaking lightly to gain the attention he needed as he grew impatient. "Mama!"

A groan, low and quiet, came from her from the pair of small hands assault. "Not now…"

If Mama didn't want to come out for him, then the only thing he could do was to come _in _with her. Tugging against the covers, he had lifted enough to allow himself to squeeze in between his mother's arms, snuggling close until he had his face against chest with Sir Jorgenbjorgen securely held by him.

Mama let out a tired sigh then, but her arms had wrapped themselves tighter around him, holding him close instead of trying to push him away. "Watch for your legs." She murmured, moving him to curl higher until his head rested on the pillow instead.

Baby. The doctor said something about that, and he remembered Auntie Anna's words about Mama having a baby in her belly, so he had to watch out for that.

Moving his head to look up caused Mama to move hers as well to avoid being hit, and being this close to her allowed him to study her face and notice the differences it held that made him frown because he had never seen her like this. Her overall expression looked so tired, eyes shut tight and had shadows under them, her skin had looked even paler than usual, and her face had looked thinner as well.

"Mama…?" he didn't like her like this, without that warmth coming from her and the smile that he adorned so much. What did happen when she was away until she changed? Reaching up, he had rested his hand against her jaw, frowning further when her skin felt colder than usual. "Are you okay?"

Another sigh, before she had reluctantly opened her eyes, and yet he was once again left in disappointment when he couldn't find that lively gleam in them. "Mama is fine, Wilhelm, just tired." A sniffle, followed by her own hand reaching up to brush his auburn hair away from his face. "Let's just go to sleep, okay?" but the sight of a black cuff around her wrist had made him taken hold of her arm, curious over the piece of jewelry he never seen her wearing.

"What is this, Mama?"

There was a look of discomfort in her eyes, though the boy was far too focused on the cuff to had taken notice, and there was a fleeting instinct telling her to pull her wrist free, yet she had pushed the thought aside. She didn't have to alarm her son. "The people that—" pausing, as the memory of weeks before flashed in her mind, she had to clear her throat to dismiss of the lump forming there. "The people that had me put these around my wrists." Her other hand was lifted to show the matching cuff there. At first, she had thought that Duchess Atalie's 'special cuffs' had been the metal ones –the ones that chained her like an animal, but after cutting that off, she realized that she had referred to these black leathers that wrapped snugly against her skin that had hid under the metal instead.

"But why?"

"To cancel out my magic." Even conjuring a single snowflake was out of the question. It felt really odd not to have that pulsing in her veins, that rush of adrenaline whenever she used her power. "I can't do anything."

"Then take it off!" he loved Mama's magic, there was never a moment in his life where her magic was non-existent. Small finger tried to slip in between the leather and her actual skin, but it almost felt like it was one with her. "Mama, take it off!"

"I can't!" she would if she could, she would be more than glad to be able to rid of every little reminder of what had happened during the time that she was away from Arendelle, spending each and every day fearing not only for her safety but her unborn child's as well, feeling hopeless because she couldn't do anything if she wanted to keep her child safe. "I can't, Wilhelm, I tried but I can't, it's magic and I can't do anything about it!"

The raise in her voice had surprised the young Prince, whose eyes had widened in shock at the side of his mother he had never encountered before. Mama was angry, and he couldn't understand why. Was she angry at _him_?

Realizing what had occurred, at how she had lost control of her emotions and lashed out at her son who had nothing to do with it, her heart had dropped as she saw the look that he had on his face. "Oh God, Wilhelm…" hand coming to cradle the back of his head, she had pulled him to her until his breath was basically against her neck, holding him close as she wished that she could have taken back everything that she had said to him. "I'm sorry, darling, I'm so sorry. Mama didn't mean to yell at you, I'm sorry."

She was a mess. She didn't want to admit to it but she was, if she could easily snap like so then she most definitely was not okay. She thought she could keep the Duchess away, at arm's length and not let her slip into her, but evidentially she had managed, no matter how hard she tried to close herself off and stand her ground, Atalie still managed to get her fingers wrapped around her.

Wilhelm had pulled himself away from her, just enough so he could see her properly as small hands reached up to cup her face. "It's okay, Mama…" his thumbs awkwardly wiped the tears that she didn't even realized had rolled down her cheeks, too short to actually reach the bottom of her eyes. "I'm not mad, I know you didn't mean it. don't cry, Mama."

"But I'm not a good mama because I yelled at you."

"That's not true." Shaking his head, more auburn hair had fallen over his eyes that prompted the Queen to brush them back once more. "If you're a bad mama you're not going to have another baby."

The statement had completely taken her back, enough for her mind to momentarily forgotten of the earlier tragedy and how she was blaming herself for it. "W-what?"

"Baby." Wilhelm repeated, as if his mother had not heard him the first time. "You're having a baby, Mama!"

As amusing as it was for him to say it in a 'matter-of-fact' manner –as if she was not aware of her own body's condition, she did have a hard time in masking her clear confusion. "Who told you that?" she certainly had not said anything about her son's younger sibling to him, let alone explaining to him the concept of pregnancy and what it had meant until he could sound as confident.

"Auntie Anna," Wilhelm shrugged, "When you're still away."

The Princess did ask about the baby, when she had arrived in her husband's arms last night after a rather long journey that she mostly didn't remember about, far too tired and too shaken up to take notice of her surrounding as she did not even acknowledge much of the Southern Isles' Princes that had come with him, so there was no doubt that Hans had told Anna of her condition. She could tell that, when she eventually had regained her energy, that the Princess would give her an earful of scolding as well, she was just glad that she had been merciful enough and not do that the moment she arrived.

If Anna knew then Kristoff most definitely would too, the two never failed to share important information to each other, and somewhere during the time of her absence her younger sister had managed to inform her son about it too.

"Mama?"

She was brought back from her train of thoughts by the quiet call, looking down at those wide blue eyes staring back at her in wonder. "Yes darling?"

"You're a good mama." Wilhelm repeated with a confirming nod, the corners of his lips pulling into a gentle smile that she didn't think a young child such as he could even muster intentionally. "Don't worry, okay? I love you and Papa loves you too, and Auntie Anna and Uncle Kristoff as well."

Heart swelling, she had sniffled and pulled her beloved son to her chest once more, holding him as she relieved on the fact that she had not done so in what felt like forever. "I love you too, my heart, so much."


End file.
